


Juxtaposition

by writingkiwi



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, Classism, Fluff, M/M, Racism, Slow Build, Smut, basically there will be a lot of assholes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-15
Updated: 2016-01-22
Packaged: 2018-03-17 21:47:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 22,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3544943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingkiwi/pseuds/writingkiwi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anon Prompt:Could we maybe get a fanfic exploring the differences between Sun and Neptune? Like class or culture or even the fact that Sun isn't human? But they love each other anyway?</p><p> </p><p>Naturally I took the liberty to extend this prompt from their childhood to present day</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I Think He's My Friend Now

**Author's Note:**

> Should Update: Once a week (I'll try for saturdays)
> 
> Rating may change as story progresses  
> Comments are welcome  
> A lot of this is headcannon

Neptune loves the playground, he loves the slide and the swings, but he hates the monkey bars, because of how high they are. But he’s 6 years old so it’s entirely understandable, he doesn’t have to strong and brave for a few more years. Right?

His mother sends him off to play while she pulls out her scroll and does whatever adults do with those things. Neptune immediately runs to the swings. He hops on one of the swings and starts gaining momentum. Neptune’s not entirely sure if leaning back and closing your eyes speeds you up, but he feels like it does.

Naturally closing his eyes makes him feel queasy so Neptune opens them, screams and falls on his back in the sand. He stares up in surprise at the upside down smiling face of a blond boy. The boy has shining grey eyes, and most noticeably is holding onto the swing frame by a blond tail.

“Hi!” The boy has noticeably sharp canines.

Neptune doesn’t know how to respond, he’s never made a friend by himself before. His parents always set up play dates with their friend’s kids, and most of those kids go to his school anyway. Also this kid has a tail and it’s kind of freaking him out.

“U-uh...hi?”

The boy does a little flip and lands perfectly on his feet. Now that he’s standing over Neptune, he realise the boy also isn’t wearing a shirt.

“Where’s your shirt?”

The boy looks down at his bare chest. “Well my sisters need shirts more than I do right now, because they’re so little and get cold easy.”

Neptune nods with his mouth hanging open. He doesn’t have any brothers or sisters, so maybe its normal for older siblings to not have shirts?

“Your hair is cool.” The boy grins looking at the tuft of bright blue sticking up out of Neptune’s head.

“Umm thanks, your tail is pretty cool.” Neptune says, he can’t help but stare at it.

The boy grins. “Thanks,” he looks back at it and swishes it about, “my name’s Sun.”

“Neptune.”

Sun holds out his hand, and Neptune hesitantly shakes it. But before they can talk anymore, a lady with long messy blonde hair and a long tail comes along.

“Time to go buddy.” She notices Neptune and her eyes widen. “Who’s your friend Sun?”

Sun grins, and gestures to Neptune like he’s proud of him. “This is Neptune, isn’t his hair cool?”

The lady, who must be Sun’s mother, smiles sweetly at him. “It is very cool. Sun we’ve got to go now, say goodbye to Neptune.”

Sun rushes forward and hugs him, taking Neptune completely by surprise. “See ya later friend.” His mother gently drags him away by the hand, and Sun waves enthusiastically with the other.

Neptune’s mother appears next to him. “Who was that?”

Neptune rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. “That was Sun. I-I think he’s my friend now.”

“No.”

Neptune freezes, he stares up at his mother in confusion. “What?”

She takes a deep breath and stares down at Neptune with her ‘I am deadly serious, and will not hesitate to punish you’ face. “You are not friends with that _thing_.”

Neptune frowns. “He is not a thing. He’s a person.”

Neptune’s mother doesn’t look at Neptune as she speaks. “You saw that tail?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you have a tail?”

“Well no but-“

“No you don’t.”

Neptune’s mind is reeling and he’s failing to understand what he’s being told. “Why does that matter?”

His mother just glares off into the distance. “It’s not normal.”

Neptune doesn’t believe what he’s hearing. Even if a tail isn’t normal, what does it matter? Sun’s tail isn’t hurting anyone, it’s just swishing around and stuff. And why can’t they be friends? Do they both need tails to be friends? Or does Sun need to not have a tail for them to be friends? It just makes no sense.

Neptune’s gonna be his friend anyway. No one has ever smiled at him like that before. It makes him feel happy.


	2. Don't Change Sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sun wants to make a new friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this chapter is fairly short, i'll try to make them longer. also this one is sun-centric, the rest should be more sun and neptune interaction  
> comments are always welcome

Sun doesn't see the weird boy with blue hair for a while after that. He finds out that they don’t go to the same school. But Sun wants to be Neptune’s friend so he seeks out help.

“Mum!” He finds her outside fixing the family car, he tugs on her shirt to get her attention.

She puts down her tools to face him. “Yes dear?”

“I want to be friends with someone.”

She crouches down in front of him and holds the sides of his face gently. “Then tell them.”

Sun frowns and pouts. “I can’t! He doesn’t go to my school.”

His mum frowns and then her orange eyes light up. “Oh, you mean that boy Neptune?”

“Yeah him!”

She looks thoughtful and wise, the way that most mothers usually do. Then her eyes light up.

“I know where he’ll go to school. I can show you.”

She quickly takes off her gloves and over clothes covered in grime from the car. She calls something out to her husband, and then grabs Sun’s hand and drags him out the door.

“Where are we going?” Sun has to jog to match his mum’s pace.

“To Neptune’s school.”

Sun’s eyes widen and his mouth hangs open. “But it’s the weekend.”

“Yes, but if I show you where it is now, you can find it later on your own.” She smiles down at him.

As they walk a couple of blocks Sun notices that the buildings around them are in nicer condition and there’s no colourful art on random walls. There are lots of cars around, and they’re all big and shiny. But there’s also less trees for climbing, and these huge street lights instead.

When they stop walking Sun takes a second to admire Neptune’s school. It’s huge. They have a field with huge goal posts for all sorts of games, and a big playground, and a huge hall that’s actually part of the school.

“Why don’t I go to this school mum?” Sun looks up at his mum, and his heart hurts at the sad look on her face.

“We can’t afford it. Some people have lots of money, so their children go to schools that you give money to. Some people, like us, don’t have lots of money so we send you to a free school.”

Sun frowns. “Why don’t we have lots of money?”

Sun’s mum looks really sad now. “Well Sun, to get money you work. And we only have two people working in our house right?”

“Yeah, you and dad.”

“Right. But people cost money. Things cost money. Food, and clothes. So we spend our money on those things because you _need_ them, and if you have to go to a public school, well that’s okay too.”

Sun thinks about this. “Like why I don’t have a shirt today?”

“Yeah. It’s warm, so you’re fine without it. But your little sister still gets cold easily. One of your shirts will be ready to wear tomorrow, once your dad’s washes them.”

Sun ponders over all this information. Well if only two people working makes the amount of money they have, wouldn’t three mean more?

“Could I work to get us money?”

His mum laughs and ruffles his hair. “Not yet dear. You’re not old enough. Well, you could do a paper run in a couple of years.”

Sun jumps happily. “Yeah! I’ll get us money, so we can get more stuff.”

“You don’t want it for yourself?” His mother seems genuinely confused.

“Well yeah. I want our family to have money for stuff. Like those fairy tale books the girls want.”

His mum laughs. “Don’t change Sun.”

“I’ll try. Ooh but now I can visit Neptune after school, and we can become best friends and it’ll be great!”


	3. You're Defending That Thing?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neptune's on Sun's side

Neptune can’t focus in class. He knows his teacher is probably telling him something really important about Grimm, but instead he’s staring out the window thinking about Sun. Mistral is great and all, but Neptune really wishes they had cooler things to look at out the window. He’s still trying to get over how _mean_ his mother was about Sun.

Neptune quickly looks around his classroom, and realises that no one there is like Sun. No tails anywhere, not any ears or antlers or wings either. Just a room full of students wearing the same grey uniform. _Why is there no one like Sun here?_

As soon as lunchtime starts Neptune runs to library to investigate. But when he gets there he realises he doesn’t know what he’s looking for. So he awkwardly walks up to the counter, and a grumpy old man glares down at him.

“Um..hi. I’m looking for a book about people who have tails?”

The man frowns at him for a couple more seconds, and then points at an aisle across the room. Neptune rushes over there and starts skimming the spines. He’s actually looking for hints from the pictures. Finally a book catches his attention.

 _‘The History of Faunus’_ Neptune stares at the title in wonder. Faunus. Is that what Sun is? Or was that just what a group of people like him called themselves? Neptune needs to know. He curls up in a corner and starts studying the book intently. He has to find a dictionary at one point for big words he doesn’t understand.

By the end of lunchtime, he’s learned that faunus are people with physical animal traits. They’re a race that is treated badly by mean people, just because they’re different. And they have night vision! Neptune’s sure he remembered a bunch of other important facts, but the night vision has him geeking out. That’s just too cool.

The bell rings abruptly, shaking him out of his study daze. He quickly shoves the book in his bag and runs off to class. As he sits down an gets his pencils and pens out of his bag he realises he didn’t check the book out. He’s stolen it. He is now a thief. _OH DUST! What will I tell my parents? Stay calm, just calm down Neptune. Okay, that book was covered in dust, no one clearly reads it. Maybe I can just keep it? No one will notice right? Yeah, this is fine. It’s okay, just starting my criminal life early. I’m a baddie._

Neptune walks out of class at the end of the day with his head hung low and shoulders slumped. He feels awful but also giddy, because he can’t wait to read this book. He really likes studying. Loud voices distract him from his thoughts. A large crowd of students has gathered at the entrance of the school. Neptune runs forward when he hears how aggressive and mean the voices are.

“You don’t belong here!” An older boy yells.

“Run back to the forest where you belong!” Some girl joins in.

Neptune pushes his way through the crowd, and gasps when he sees Sun on the ground, trying to back away from everyone. He has tears in his eyes, and the sight of them enrages Neptune.

“Leave him alone!”

Everyone falls silent, and Neptune shoves his way into the middle of the circle so he’s standing in front of Sun, defending him.

“You’re defending this _thing_?”

Neptune grits his teeth and snarls. He’s never been this angry before. “He is not a thing! He is a person.”

Some girl makes a disgusted retching noise. “You’re as bad as it!”

“No he’s worse. He’s _choosing_ to defend that thing.”

The crowd starts getting angrier and louder. They’re encroaching on Neptune’s personal space and he’s really starting to feel threatened. He turns around and crouches down quickly in front of Sun.

“We’re gonna run, okay?”

Sun nods quickly. Neptune grips the boy’s hand tight and pulls him through the crowd. They break through the mass of bodies with only a few bruises from elbows. After running around the block and hiding in an alley, they finally stop to catch their breaths.

“You saved me.” Sun stares up at him with those grey eyes.

“Yeah, I guess I did.” Neptune laughs nervously.

“You’re a hero!” Sun grins and Neptune can see the fantasy playing in his eyes.

“Um well I wouldn’t say that.”

Sun frowns. “Why not?”

“Heroes are big and strong. And they fight off Grimm. Or they save a princess or a prince.”

Sun stares at him in confusion. “Heroes help people. You helped me. You are a hero, whether you like it or not.”

Neptune sighs. “I wish I didn’t have to be. Why were they being mean to you anyway?”

Sun looks away then and crosses his arms. “Because I have a tail.”

Neptune frowns. “That’s it? They saw that you were different and that made it okay?”

Sun turns around and faces him, his eyes filled with tears refusing to fall. “It _always_ makes it okay.”

Neptune can’t handle this bright and happy boy sounding so bitter and sad. It’s not right. He steps forward and brushes Sun’s tears away with his thumbs.

“That’s not right.”

Sun looks down at his feet refusing to meet Neptune’s eyes. He does nod in agreement though.

“Hey, uh I have no idea where we are.” Neptune laughs nervously.

Sun looks up and glances around, and his eyes light up. “We’re not far from my house!”

Neptune smiles at how Sun’s cheered up. “Really?”

“Yeah, hey we should meet here every day after school!” Sun is now bouncing up and down with joy.

Neptune looks around, the part of the alley they’re in is his hidden from the street. It’s also a dead end so no one would walk down here. Plus not many rubbish bins, just lots of crates, so it’s cleaner than expected. Oh and the graffiti is a cool bonus too.

“Okay sure, but how will we find it?” Neptune can’t see anything out on the street that looks memorable.

Sun grabs his hand and pulls him out to the street. He grabs a stone off of the ground and starts scratching something into the side of the brick wall, next to the alleyway’s entrance. When he’s done he steps back and Neptune sees a roughly carved circle with lines sticking out of it. A sun.

“Now when you want to see me after school, you just find the sun. This sun, leads to this Sun.” The boy points at himself and giggles.

Neptune just smiles at him, it’s cute and smart. Then he remembers that he needs to get home soon.

“Oh no. I’ve gotta go, my parents will be worrying about me.” Neptune goes to walk away, but Sun quickly pulls him in for a goodbye hug.

Neptune’s surprised by the hug _again_. He’s not used to hugs in general. He hesitantly wraps his arms around Sun too, and he gasps when he feels Sun’s tail hugging him. That tail is stronger than it looks.

“See ya tomorrow!” Sun calls out as he runs off to his home.

“Yeah, see you tomorrow!” Neptune calls out after him as he runs in the opposite direction towards his home.

His mind is bothering him though. He knows that what he’s doing isn’t wrong, but he also knows his parents won’t agree on that. Why can’t he be friends with Sun? Sun has been nicer to him than _anyone_.


	4. That is So Thoughtful Sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things change

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Easter everyone, here's my gift to you for the holidays
> 
> comments are welcome as always
> 
> and i take prompts at seamonkeysauthor.tumblr.com

They met up after school every day for the rest of their time in elementary school. Their friendship grew, and they had fun times together. No one ever walked down their alleyway and no one ever found out they were hanging out, besides Sun’s parents. Everything was happy and good. Until today.

Sun is now 12, and it’s the end of the school year, the year after next he’ll get to go to a hunter academy and become a real hero. He freezes as he walks into the alley. Neptune’s a year older than him. Neptune will be changing schools _next_ year.

He can’t stop the tears that form in his eyes as he sees his best friend smiling at him down the alley. He rushes forward and nearly bowls Neptune over with his forceful hug.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Neptune already had hints of anger in his voice, because Sun only ever cried like this when someone treated him badly.

“We won’t be able to hangout next year!” Sun grips Neptune’s shirt tight and bites back his tears.

Neptune opens his mouth to answer but nothing comes out. Sun’s right. “I mean, we can still hangout on weekends and stuff right?”

Sun looks up at him, his heart hurting. “Yeah, but it won’t be the same, we’ll have to wait 5 days to see each other. And sometimes we’re busy on weekends and-and-and-!”

“Shhhh. Sun relax. You need to calm down okay? Nothing will change. We’ll see each other less sure, but in a year we can go to the same school!”

“Really?”

Neptune grins down at him. “Yeah, the hunter academy I’m going to only requires you to pass a test to get in. It’s free, because hunters are kind of important.”

Sun wipes his face and tries to smile. “I guess you’re right. A year won’t be too hard.”

*******

Neptune was right, nothing changed. Suns just went to school every day like he usually did. Same classes, same faces, same boring stuff. Except one thing _did_ change. After school since he had all this free time he started doing that paper run.

So now Sun was just running along putting newspapers in letterboxes, and minding his own business. When he heard something down the street. It was an old couple complaining about Faunus, really loudly. Sun quickly ducks out of sight before he reaches their house.

Once he’s sure their inside he quickly runs passed their house to put their newspaper in their letterbox. But as he’s passing by he notices a wallet on the ground of their driveway. He picks it up and notices the picture of the angry old man in the ID card. Rage pulling at his mind, Sun took all the money out of the wallet and pocketed it before running off to finish his deliveries.

That’s the first time he steals.

After his paper run Sun decides to spend the money. But he realises he can’t buy anything for his younger sisters, because they’d wonder how he could afford it. There is one person he could buy something for though.

He heads to the nearest market place to find something to buy. When he gets there he realises he has no idea what Neptune would want. The guy likes books, and learning and stuff, but what kind of books? Also what if he already has the thing Sun buys him. Then something catches his eye.

There’s a whole stall selling plush toys. There’s plush Grimm, and animals, and even some of well known hunters and huntresses. Sun knows Neptune won’t have something like this. He scans his options looking for something, when he spots a soft plush yellow monkey. Sun grins, and gets the stall owner’s attention.

“Hi, can I buy that one please?”

The woman running the store stares down at him with surprisingly friendly eyes.

“Sure dear,” then she spots his tail, “oh that’s so cute that you’re buying a toy like you.”

Sun blushes and looks away, “Uh yeah. It’s for a friend.” He hands over the yen, and the lady hands him the plush toy monkey. He smiles down at the shiny black beady eyes of the toy, and can’t wait for Neptune’s reaction.

********

That weekend Sun gets to the alley before Neptune. He sits on a crate and holds the monkey behind his back. When he spots Neptune’s blue hair he can’t help but grin. But before he speaks, he notices a weapon strapped to his back.

“Dude! Are you making your weapon already?” Sun stares at it completely fascinated. He doesn’t even know what it is.

“Uh yeah. I mean, I’m still not really sure what I want mine to end up like yet, so it’s still a work in progress.”

“What can it do?” Sun watches as Neptune takes it off his back and holds it before him. It’s made of shiny silver metal and is powered by what looks like electric blue energy.

“Well at the moment it’s just a gun. But I want something I can hit or stab with.”

Sun just stares at the weapon in awe. “That is so cool! Oh yeah, I got you something.”

He holds out the monkey and waits for Neptune to respond. The taller boy stares at it with wide eyes for a few seconds, before he grins.

“That is so cute Sun!”

Sun blushes, and looks down to hide it. “Since I don’t get to see you every day, I thought you might want this as a replacement. It’s like me, but he’s completely silent and can fit in your bag.”

Neptune takes the plush toy and just grins at it. “That is so thoughtful Sun.”

Sun feels all warm and happy just seeing Neptune so pleased with his gift. This year is going good, next year with Neptune can only be better right?


	5. Just Look After Him Okay?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next stage of friendship is roommates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> feel free to tell me what you think should happen next, i love feedback and reader input

Neptune rushes around his dorm cleaning things up. Everything had to look good, because today Sun is moving into his dorm and starting school with him. He has no idea if Sun wants the top or bottom bunk. People usually want the top bunk right? So Neptune quickly moves all his bedding stuff to the bottom, and cleans up the top for his friend.

A quick knock on the door takes him by surprise and he falls on his back. The door opens and Neptune tips his head back to see Sun, upside down, with an armful of bags.

“We have to stop meeting like this!” Sun laughs and drops all his stuff running over to Neptune to help him up.

A tall blonde lady with a tail just like Sun’s appears in the doorway, with even more bags. “Sun why don’t you start setting your stuff up, Neptune could you help me get the rest of his things?”

Neptune’s heart stutters, nervousness overwhelming him. “Uh sure, Sun you get the top bunk.”

“Yes!” Sun climbs up onto the bunk and flops down. Neptune awkwardly follows Sun’s mother back to the car. He doesn’t know why he’s feeling so nervous. Sun’s mother seems very nice, maybe he’s worried he’s making a bad impression? Or is he afraid that Sun’s mother is anything like his own?

When they reach the car Sun’s mother starts handing him bags. How much luggage does Sun have?

“You know Sun never shuts up about you?” She pauses and smiles at him.

Neptune blushes and looks away. “Yeah?”

She stops handing him luggage. “You seem surprised by that.”

“Well, I’m not that interesting. Why would he talk about me so much?”

She scans his face for lies, with those intimidating orange eyes of hers. “Oh sweetie, you don’t know do you? Sun adores you. You’re the only friend he’s ever had.”

Neptune frowns. Why hadn’t Sun made friends at his own school? Although Neptune isn’t really in the position to question that. “Really?”

She looks sad for a second, then regains her composure. “Yes. You must realise by now that people in Mistral aren’t that nice to our kind. We were gonna move back to Vaccuo, but Sun had you, and his sisters had just started school.” She laughs. “You don’t need to hear me rant. Just look after him okay?” Neptune has never seen an adult look at him with so much trust and intention.

“I will.” Neptune doesn’t know what else he can possibly say to reassure her. “Sun’s tough though. He’ll beat me in sparring for sure.”

She laughs, but Neptune doesn’t hear any humour behind it. “Not every battle is a physical one dear.”

She picks up her half of the luggage without any word, and forces a smile at him. Neptune stares after her in awe, and quickly follows with his arms full of bags. A weird feeling stirs in his gut, and he’s suddenly very anxious about the future.

When they return to the dorm with the rest of Sun’s things, Neptune nearly passes out. The place is a mess! It’s utter chaos.

“What happened!” Neptune stares around the room in horror. The only speck of cleanliness and order is his bottom bunk. Sun’s bed has several blankets shoved together in a creased mess, and another acting as a canopy.

The floor is covered with various piles of Sun’s clothing. The drawers are all pulled open, with Sun sitting in front of them making a half assed attempt at tidying them up.

There are posters on the wall, but they’re all skewed and have no sense of composition and colour flow whatsoever.

Sun turns to him and shrugs with a cheeky grin. “I unpacked.”

Neptune stares at the bags in his hands, his eyes bugging out. “If all _that_ is out there, what is in here?”

Sun leaps to his feet and snatches the bag from Neptune’s grip.

“This is the most important part!” He unzips the bag, shoves a hand in and holds up a noodle cup. “Food!”

Neptune blinks, takes a deep breath and calms himself down. “That is actually incredibly sensible. The cafeteria here does not always have the best food.”

Sun grins smugly. “See I’m not a lost cause.”

Sun’s mother steps forward and hugs her sun tightly, picking him up and swinging him around. Neptune watches them awe, he’s never seen that much affection in just a hug before.

“Now be good, and be nice to Neptune.” She kisses Sun on the cheek and waves him goodbye as she heads back to the car.

Sun waves his goodbye and then turns back to Neptune. “So, what should we do first roommate?”

Neptune can’t help but smile, despite the huge mess in their room. “Well I guess we should clean up.”

Sun laughs and starts shoving things into drawers . “Yeah.”

Neptune takes note of just how many clothes there are in the room.”Hey when did you get this much clothing. When we met you didn’t even have a shirt to wear that day?”

Sun looks up at him. “Oh. Well most of these are hand-me-downs from my older cousins in Vaccuo. And some I got myself.”

“Got yourself?”

Sun looks away, to put something away, but Neptune can tell he’s purposefully avoiding eye contact. “Yeah I got a job, I did a paper run for that year you were away.”

Neptune doesn’t reply, what’s wrong with Sun getting a job? The dude’s never been this secretive about anything before. Maybe he’s embarrassed he has to have a job? Neptune doesn’t want to insult him so he drops it.

While they’re cleaning up Sun spots the plush monkey sitting on Neptune’s bed. “Hey you kept him!”

Neptune glances over his shoulder, and feels his face heat up. “Well yeah, he kept me company while you weren’t here.”

Sun gasps in mock offence. “You replaced me?”

Neptune laughs. “Nah, that guy was _way_ too quiet to replace you.”

Neptune scroll beeps with a notification. The abrupt interruption reminds him of something.

“Dude we need to sync our scrolls since we’re roommates.” Neptune quickly gets out his one, going through the settings.

“I uh, I don’t have one.” Sun scratches the back of his neck awkwardly. “I can’t afford one.”

Neptune gut twists up in an uncomfortable way. He feels terrible. He’s so used to having access to anything he wants that he forgets that’s not the case for other people. “Hey. I can get you one! Tomorrow, we still have the day off so we can get you one then.”

Sun frowns at him. “Dude you don’t need to-“

“I want to do this for you okay? Besides you already got me a gift.” He gestures to the plush monkey.

Sun laughs. “I highly doubt the equivalent gift is a scroll.”

Neptune stands up, hands on hips a determined look on his face. “It is now.”


	6. Never Underestimate Your Enemy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sun gets himself into a little conflict

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know a lot of you are just waiting for them to get together, don't worry it will happen eventually
> 
> and as always feedback is appreciated

Sun’s new scroll is absolutely awesome! It’s the best thing ever, he can call his family back home, and surf the web, and since his synced up with Neptune’s he can keep and eye on his buddy’s health for sparring matches. But he still has a lingering feeling of guilt that Neptune bought it for him.

He reluctantly puts the scroll away as he follows Neptune to their first class of the day. Combat style. Apparently the teacher is really strict and not afraid to lash out his brutal honesty, even if it’s a shitty personal opinion.

Neptune somehow convinces Sun that the front of the room is the best place to sit. He regrets it immediately when a stern looking man marches out before them, and looks down at them in disappointment.

“Now you lot are clearly going to be a challenge for me, I doubt any of you have even _seen_ a fight in your lives.”

Sun frowns, his nose scrunching up and his hands curling into fists. He recklessly punches his hand into the air, and doesn’t wait to be called on before speaking. He can feel Neptune’s fear and confusion next to him.

“You’re wrong.”

The teacher strides over to the front of Sun’s desk and towers over him, staring purposefully down on him. “Recklessness kills in battle.”

“Not always.” Sun’s feeling particularly irritable and rebellious today for no apparent reason.

The teacher stands back and Sun wants to punch that ugly sneer right off his face. “Fine then. Class you’re about to get a demonstration of poor combat style.”

Sun doesn’t want a detention so he simply stands up and marches to the front of the class standing opposite his teacher. He steps into a fighting stance, balancing his footing and holding up his fists ready to block or defend. He spots the recognition I  his teacher’s eyes, the man thinks he’s just gonna do some basic boxing moves, well he’s got another thing coming.

His teacher starts zigzagging towards him trying to throw him off, he clearly thinks Sun is either going to block with his arms or throw a punch so naturally Sun decides to do neither.

Sun drops to the ground and knee slides out of the way, before the teacher can register what’s happened he gives him a hard shove from behind, sending his teacher falling on his face.

The class is in shocked silence, and Neptune looks like he’s stopped breathing. Sun can’t help but grin. He turns back to the class with a cocky smirk.

“Never underestimate your enemy.”

He saunters back to his desk, and plops himself down beside Neptune, sticking his feet up on his desk.

“Dude what the hell? Last time you were in a conflict you were afraid and crying, what happened?”

Sun smiles at Neptune but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “I had to look out for myself while you were gone. Plus my sisters got really into dancing, so I learned some sick moves.”

Just as Neptune’s about to comment, their teacher storms over to them and tries to murder Sun with his eyes.

“It’s just like you’re kind to fight dirty,” He spits, and the comment causes Sun to flinch. “Detention after school for you...”

“Wukong.” Sun growls bitterly.

By lunch time everyone’s heard about the faunus who beat up a teacher. There’s whispers about how he should feared, and rumours that he’s a part of the White Fang. But there’s mostly just glares and mentions of his _‘animalistic behaviour.’_

Sun sits down at his lunch table with Neptune, and they’re the only ones there. Sun knows Neptune is staring him down, dying to ask him about why he pulled that stunt. But Sun is far more interested in the promising looking sandwich he has.

“It sucks that you got detention.”

Sun stops eating and looks at Neptune strangely. “What? No lecture, no interrogation?”

Neptune shrugs. “After what he said, he deserved that. And I’m sure you have your reasons for why you did it. Also you wouldn’t be Sun if you weren’t reckless.”

Sun smiles. “Thanks man.”

Neptune grins. “I do have a question about something else though.”

Sun raises an eyebrow.

“What’s Vacuo like?”

Sun stares at him for a second. “Why are you asking me?”

“Well your mum told me you guys used to live there.”

Sun smiles faintly. “Yeah when I was like 5. So I don’t remember it from back then. But we do visit our relatives there every chance we get. It’s a hot place, makes Mistral look like an ice cube. Faunus everywhere, and it isn’t nearly as formal as this place. Dude I can’t believe we need to get our uniforms next week!”

Neptune rolls his eyes ignoring the uniform comment. “Vacuo sounds amazing. I’d like to go there someday.”

Sun grins. “Well next time we visit you could come with us!”

Neptune smiles, but Sun notices his eyes drifting off in thought. “If I’m allowed.”

Sun frowns. “Why wouldn’t you be allowed to?”

Neptune looks away and covers his face with his hands. “My parents are assholes.”

Sun blanches. How do you respond to that? Sun loves his parents unconditionally, so hearing someone say that is difficult for him to comprehend.

“Why?”

Neptune wipes his hands down his face, his eyes looking dejected. “I have no idea _why_. But I know that they wouldn’t approve of our friendship.”

Sun stares at him for a second, when realisation kicks in. His tail twitches and avoids Neptune’s eyes. His best friend’s parents hate him? He hasn’t even met them! He doesn’t know why this hurts him so much, he doesn’t care about Neptune’s parents, just Neptune.

Tears prick at his eyes, and he clenches his fists to fight them off. He bows his head, and stares down at his hands on the table watching his knuckles turn white. A gloved tan hand hesitantly covers his own, and he stares at it in surprise.

He stares up at Neptune, the blue haired boy watching him with genuine sincerity. Neptune’s eyes look sad, and Sun doesn’t like it.

“Like I said _they are assholes._ ” Neptune’s lips quirk into a shy smile. “Besides _I_ approve of our friendship.”


	7. I Thought You Studied Tactics?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys have a sparring practitce

Neptune has been geeking out since they were told that they’d be studying aura and everyone should unlock theirs sometime this semester. He has no idea what his will be, but he can’t wait to study it and master it. Sun on the other hand doesn’t seem too interested in it, in fact he’s convinced lunchtime is the perfect time for a sparring match.

Sun doesn’t have his weapon finished yet, and Neptune’s grateful, because the blueprints look insane. But Neptune has actually finished his own one, it’s a glaive a trident and a gun. And yet Sun had somehow convinced him that practicing to fight against someone who has a weapon when you don’t is a good idea.

They were standing a fair way apart in the training room, so Neptune decided to start with his gun, he set it to a lower power setting so he wouldn’t hurt Sun. Much to his surprise Sun made the first move.

Sun ran directly at him, and just as Neptune pulled on the trigger, Sun had dodged to his left and punched Neptune in the side. Neptune stumbles back, but as he’s regaining balance he quickly swaps to his glaive.

Sun’s smirking at him a few feet away, bouncing on the balls of his feet, fists up and ready. “Come on Nep, you have the advantage here.”

Neptune knows he’s just burning off anger about the detention he has later this week, but he humours Sun nonetheless.

He twirls his glaive around ad he approaches Sun, building up momentum for a stronger hit. Neptune may not be the most athletic, but he has studied his fighting tactics. All the fighting he’s seen Sun do has been with his fists, so maybe his legs are a weak spot. Taking a chance Neptune swings low with his glaive only to have Sun jump up hook his ankle under the pole of the glaive. Neptune is yanked forward, and falls on his face at Sun’s feet.

As he goes to stand up, he realises his weapon is gone, and he stares up at Sun with wide eyes as the blond faunus smirks, twirling the glaive with ease.

“Looks like you need this practice more than I do. I thought you studied tactics?”

Neptune stupidly let’s that rile him up and charges at Sun, both hands gripping onto the glaive. But Sun is stronger than him, so he effortlessly uses the glaive to fling Neptune around and onto the ground, and to add insult to injury Sun straddles him and pins him down holding the blade a hair’s width from his neck.

They’re both breathing heavily, and Sun is smirking like the cocky bastard he is. Neither of them make to move from their position, but Sun does loosen his hold on the glaive and closes his eyes, catching his breath. Neptune stares at Sun curiously. He can’t deny that Sun is incredibly attractive; the guy doesn’t flaunt his abs around for nothing. As Neptune watches Sun he notices his hair starts glowing with a white light. He can’t form words, but he needs to ask what the hell is happening.

Suddenly a hand is gripping his shoulders and pulling him out from under Sun. Once he’s on his feet he’s spun around and standing face to face with a translucent golden projection of Sun. The hologram Sun grins at him and holds both his arms out.  When Neptune doesn’t move the hologram steps forward and pulls him into a hug.

Hugging a hologram is the weirdest thing Neptune has ever done. He realises as he feels the warm, moving energy embrace him that it isn’t a hologram. It’s something else entirely. Neptune steps out of the hug and the translucent Sun is gone, but his Sun is on the ground holding his head in his hands groaning.

Neptune’s scroll starts beeping, he pulls it out and Sun’s stats are on the screen, his aura bar is nearly empty and it’s turned red. _That was Sun’s aura_. He rushes to his friend’s side, and quickly rolls him onto his side so he doesn’t throw up from over exertion.

“Ugh what happened.” Sun’s voice is all croaky.

“Dude you unlocked your aura.” Neptune can’t help but grin because it was so cool. But aura’s are supposed to be for battle, and Sun used it to hug him.

Sun frowns. “And _I_ didn’t even get to see it?” Sun sits up frowning.

“You can make a projection of yourself. It’s gold and you can see through it.”

Sun frowns at Neptune. “What can it do?”

Neptune feels his cheeks heat up a bit. “Well it has a solid form. But uh, so far it’s really good at giving hugs.”

Sun’s grey eyes widen. “You hugged it? My _super power_ is being able to project hugs! What the hell?”

Neptune laughs awkwardly.”Hey I’m sure you can practice and train it to eventually attack people.”

Sun crosses his arms and scowls like a petulant child.

“Hey look on the bright side, I don’t even know what mine is yet. So you’ve already one-upped me.”

Neptune must not have done a very good job at hiding the disappointment in his voice because Sun turns to face him and puts a hand on his shoulder. “Hey don’t worry Nep, I’m sure you’ll have some badass skill.”

Neptune laughs. “Yeah, hey wanna go see a movie after your detention on Friday?”

Sun stares up at the ceiling. “Ugh, I nearly forgot about that. Sure, it’ll give me something to think about while I write lines or whatever I’m supposed to do in detention.”

Neptune grins. “I’ll wait outside the whole time.” Neptune starts packing up his weapon, and putting it back on its holster on his back.

Sun grins. “Maybe you can help me escape!”

Neptune giggles. “I’m not ready to be a criminal.”

Sun smiles at him. “Damn, we’ll have to be honest law abiding citizens then won’t we?”

Neptune laughs, but for some reason he doesn’t quite feel like what Sun said was completely a joke.


	8. Trust Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sun deals with detention...sort of

Detention is shit there’s no other way to look at it. There’s nothing to do, you just in a room with everyone else who fucked up that week and stare at a board. The only thing stopping Sun from dying of boredom was knowing that he’d get to go to a movie with Neptune after he’d served his time. His detention is complete bullshit though, he did what the teacher said, bastard put him here because of his tail.

Sun would very much like to just sleep off his sentence but everyone is muttering because the supervisor isn’t present. So naturally Sun decides to eavesdrop. After a minute all he’s learned is that this bitch stole someone’s boyfriend, this one guy is gonna fail his Dust Theory class, and that the cafeteria still has shitty food. But then something catches his ear.

“That guy over there, the one with the tail. Is it true he’s with the White Fang?”

Sun frowns, he subtly glances around the room and realises he’s the only one with a tail. Why the fuck would they think he’s with those holier than thou freaks who use force to get whatever they want. Those assholes give faunus like him a bad name.

After a few more minutes of poorly muffled whispers about his supposed reputation Sun decides he’s had enough. There’s no supervisor to stop him ,and these delinquents surely won’t either. So he stands up and makes his way to the window. See breaking out would be easy if they were on the first floor, but of course the detention hall is on the 3rd floor. He sighs and unlatches the window sliding it up, and climbing out onto the miniscule ledge outside.

All the other students in detention are staring at him in awe and shouting things at him, but he tunes them out. He carefully digs his fingers into the grooves of the bricks outside, and uses his tail for balance. Once he’s completely outside Sun shimmies along the ledge making his way to the other side of the building. He remembers Neptune is sitting outside the detention hall, and that there just happens to be a window next to that door.

Once Sun has made his way to the window he grins at the sight of Neptune hunched up on the ground going over some boring notes. He taps on the glass and waves at his friend. Neptune’s eyes are wide and he runs up to Sun looking frantic and worried.

Once Neptune opens the window he lets out a short laugh. “Hey, c’mon let’s get to that movie early!”

Neptune stares at him in horror. “You’re supposed to be in detention! And you could’ve fallen! What’s wrong with you?”

Sun shrugs. “Why don’t we discuss this on the way there?”

Neptune looks around. “You can’t be seen in the halls though, everyone knows why you got detention.”

“Then we’ll leave this way, there’s a tree over there. Come on.”

Sun holds out his hand to Neptune who stares past him at the worrying height. Sun picks up on his friend’s fear and uncertainty.

“Hey.” He gently grabs Neptune’s hand, and he doesn’t know why it makes his hand feel all tingly. “You can trust me.”

Neptune stares up at him, looking a bit awestruck. He seems to run over the situation in his head before he nods with certainty. Sun grins and carefully pulls him out onto the ledge with him.

As they make their way towards the tree, Sun squeezes Neptune’s hand every time he looks worried, which is very often. Once they’re at the tree, Sun flawlessly jumps over to it and maintains his balance on a sturdy branch. The look of fear on Neptune’s face hurts him.

“Dude you’re gonna be fine,” He uses his tail to hold him to the tree and holds out both his hands, “trust me.”

Neptune closes his eyes and leans out towards Sun with his arms extended. Sun quickly grabs hold of him and pulls him towards the tree, helping him sit balanced on the same branch Sun is standing on.

Neptune laughs hysterically and his breath rate picks up. “Don’t ever do that again!”

They make their way down from the tree and quickly escape the school grounds. They walk side by side on their way to the theatre and Sun can’t stop thinking about how good it felt to hold Neptune’s hand. So without really thinking while Neptune is ranting about boring school stuff Sun grabs his hand.

Neptune stops mid sentence and looks down at their intertwined fingers, and then back up at Sun who is avoiding eye contact. Sun can feel his face heating up, and stares directly up to avoid embarrassment.

“Sun-?”

“It just feels good, ok. If you don’t want to-“ Sun loosens his grip on Neptune’s hand ready to drop it.

But to his surprise Neptune tightens his grip on his hand. “I like it too.”

They both smile and Sun starts swinging their hands and laughing giddily. They both like holding hands so much that they stay like that through the entire movie, and on the way home. They’re both happy and caught up in their little bubble until Sun starts noticing the looks they get.

Neptune doesn’t seem to notice, but Sun is used to getting looks from strangers. People are looking uncomfortable and disgusted when they walk by, and he can’t figure out why. Sun usually only gets looked down at, and people turning up their noses, but this is different.

He stands closer to Neptune and pretends not to notice. Because that’s what people always say right? Ignore it. Sun swings his tail low, and grits his teeth, he doesn’t bring it up to Neptune and nor does he intend to. Neptune doesn’t need anything else to worry about, so Sun takes a deep breath and decides to deal with it for both of them.


	9. I Know You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boy's design Sun's weapon, and Neptune tests his detective skills

Neptune’s been helping Sun design his weapon over the last couple of months, and their main problem is getting Sun to limit his weapon choices. The guy’s got great ideas, but there’s a limit to how many weapons you can smash into a transportable object. Neptune’s going over the list that Sun has compiled, and he honestly doesn’t know where to begin.

“Well uh... I have no idea what you’re skill is like with any of these weapons. You’re great at hand to hand combat, and using my weapon against me.”

Sun giggles. “So get me some boxing gloves and a copy of your weapon?”

Neptune rolls his eyes. “No. Actually based on that we can figure out you’re fighting style. Okay so hand to hand combat, you’re good at close range. How about a staff?”

Sun scrunches up his nose. “That’s boring.”

He’s not even surprised. “That’s just the base weapon, it’s usable and easy to make. You can add some ridiculous attachments later.”

Sun sighs. “Fine, but a staff has its limitations.”

Neptune nods. “True, how about...” he goes over the list. “Nun chucks? A staff could turn into those easily.”

Sun stands up and starts pacing in a bouncy way around the dorm. “I like it! But it’s still not badass enough.”

“I doubt anything would ever meet your standards of coolness.”

Sun scrunches up his face at him, but then realisation falls upon his face. “Guns!”

His eyebrows scrunch up. “Huh?”

“I need guns! My nunchucks can be shotguns. Then I’ll have 4 guns.” Sun’s jumping around like an overexcited child.

Neptune watches Sun in wonder, and realises that this feels odd. Sun hasn’t been this happy lately, and Neptune doesn’t know why. He thought it may have been the stress of making the weapon, but that doesn’t seem to be it at all. He needs to keep a close eye on him, but he also needs an excuse.

“Well, we need to make sure your fighting style matches this weapon. So why don’t you practice with the demos for each of these weapons, and I’ll observe the outcome.”

Sun giggles and saunters over to Neptune, smirking up at him. His grey eyes are twinkling with mischief. Sun puts on a faux sexy voice. “I love it when you talk nerdy.”

Sun’s composure snaps though and he’s barely holding back giggles, meanwhile Neptune’s willing the redness of his face to disappear. He punches Sun softly on the arm and mumbles a “Shut up.”

**********

So Neptune started watching Sun more closely, and in turn learnt many things. Firstly he learned that the weapon they had decided upon was indeed a perfect fit for Sun. But he learnt other things, like how most of Sun’s emotions actually show through his tail. He also got to witness some of Sun’s dance moves, and Neptune wasn’t sure whether to be wooed or envious. But one thing he picked up on the most was how Sun reacted to people.

Sun appears as this laid back fun guy, but that’s not the case. Neptune notices how apprehensive he is towards other people, his tail will twitch and his back muscles will tense. Despite his outgoing nature, when they’re around large groups of people he keeps his head down, but he’s clearly listening to everyone. Unfortunately Neptune’s hearing isn’t up to par with Sun’s so he has no idea what he’s hearing.

But there’s one thing that Neptune hasn’t learnt about Sun. And he doesn’t learn about it until today. It’s a normal day, a cool winter afternoon, and the boys are heading to the local markets. Nothing seems to be out of place, Sun’s acting like himself, the stalls have the usual supply of autumn goodies, and Sun’s shirt is still unbuttoned.

“How are you not cold?”

Sun frowns at him, and gestures at his scarf. “Why would I be cold?”

Neptune huffs out a laugh. “Oh I don’t know, why don’t you ask your abs?”

Sun stares down at his tanned chiselled torso. “Don’t listen to Neptune, he’s just jealous because he’s a skinny twig.”

Neptune rolls his eyes and they keep strolling along, hands intertwined. Neptune doesn’t notice anything off until he spots something out of his peripheral. He’s so used to watching Sun that he notices when something doesn’t fit the pattern. Just as he glances towards the movement he sees Sun’s hand put a wallet, one that isn’t his, into his pocket.

Neptune freezes, and causes Sun to awkwardly halt. The blond boy raises his eyebrows questioningly at him. Neptune looks around, and to avoid a scene tugs Sun into a nearby alley.

“Dude what the hell?”

Neptune quickly drops Sun’s hand and stares him dead in the eye searching for answers.

“Empty your pockets.”

Sun’s eyes flick wide, but quickly restrain their telling motion, but Neptune sees it.

“What why?”

Neptune doesn’t reply he just stares into those panicking grey eyes, and he notices them flicker to his right, to an escape route.

Neptune gently, but quickly grabs Sun’s wrists. He drops his head and takes a deep breath as the boy in front of him struggles against him. “I’m not gonna be angry.” It’s barely a whisper but Sun hears him.

He feels the boy relax, because he’s given up. Sun sighs and hands him the wallet he stole. “What do you want me to say, huh?” His voice is increasing volume and pitch, along with his agitation. He rips his hands out of Neptune’s grip. “That it’s my nature, because of my tail? That I’m sorry? Are you gonna say how I should just pay for things, because I can totally afford that!”

Neptune just watches patiently, watching Sun’s eyes well with tears, but also seeing the fury in those grey irises. Sun isn’t feeling guilty or sorry, he’s _angry_. Neptune reaches out and carefully takes Sun’s hands, brushing his thumb gingerly over Sun’s knuckles.

“No. I just want to know why.” He stares into Sun’s eyes and watches disbelief transform into relief and then twist into gratitude.

“I don’t steal from just anyone. I make sure they deserve it. That guy’s wallet I took, he was talking shit about faunus.” Sun rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. “Plus a little extra cash never hurt.”

Neptune doesn’t know what to do. He knows Sun, he knows he won’t stop what he’s doing, he’s too stubborn for that. He also knows that Sun isn’t a bad person, he just makes bad decisions. But Neptune wants to help.

Neptune’s so caught up in his own internal turmoil he forgets the boy before him is impatient and active.

“Dude, you’re spaced out and it’s creeping me out.” Sun actually sounds concerned. “You said you wouldn’t be angry, please don’t be angry.”

That’s the other thing Neptune learned. Sun may act like he doesn’t care what others think, and that’s true to an extent. Someone says something rude about him and he just pulls a face or rolls his eyes, they’re not worth his time. But Sun does care what Neptune thinks. He cares about Neptune.

“Do something! Anything!”

The urgency in Sun’s voice chimes through his mind and sets something into motion. The air sparks with energy, and Neptune’s eyes start to feel funny. He drops the wallet in his hand, and his body thrums with power. He hears the sound of several bulbs shattering and Sun’s gasp.

Neptune watches awestruck as streams of cerulean blue light and electricity dance through the air and around Sun, creating a fluctuating barrier. Sun’s watching the raw energy in awe, and Neptune’s focus on that bright smile snaps him out of it.

He collapses against the wall of the alley to catch his breath and hold his head as pain throbs through his skull.

“Dude that was sick!” Sun’s suddenly right beside him, gripping his shoulders and beaming at him. Neptune opens his eyes, and notices that everything’s back to normal.

“What triggered that?”

Sun smiles sheepishly. “I know I said do anything, but that was honestly the last thing I expected.”

Neptune breathes out a laugh.

Sun’s smile fades and he avoids eye contact, steeping away. “But seriously. Are you mad?”

Neptune sighs and steps towards Sun. “No.” He takes a deep breath. “Nothing I could say would stop you.”

Sun scrunches up his nose. “How do you know?”

Neptune kicks at the pavement and stares at his shoes. “I know you.”

Sun tenses, and Neptune spots his clenched fists. “No you don’t.”

Neptune frowns. “Sun...”

Sun punches the brick wall of the alley, and Neptune shudders at the sound of bones cracking. “You don’t know me! Not you! Not that prick who called me riffraff. Not those idiots who think I’m with The White Fang!” He fades into a whisper. “No one.”

And it’s then that Neptune realises that all this time he’d been watching Sun he hadn’t being paying full attention. This isn’t some crazy outburst. This is built up emotions that have hit a maximum capacity.

Neptune hesitantly steps forward eyeing Sun’s bloodied knuckles. “What are you talking about?”

Sun’s eyes are welling with tears, and his cheeks are being painted in his sorrow, but he still looks so angry. “Everyone keeps labelling me and acting like they know me. They don’t know shit.”

Neptune eyes Sun, making sure he’s calmed down a bit. “Sun, I _do_ know you. You only eat sugary cereals. You take too long in the shower, because you have to finish whatever song it is that day. You talk in your sleep, and it never makes sense. You struggle with written work, but ace anything practical. You love reading those dumb comics.”

Neptune steps forward, and takes note of how Sun hangs onto his every word. “You like to hold my hand. You risk getting an extended detention just to hang out with me sooner. You care about my opinion.”

He keeps stepping forward until Sun is pressed up against the side of the alley. Neptune leans forward, and bypasses Sun’s lips, and whispers in his ear.

“You like me.”

He steps away before Sun can respond. But brushes his fingers along Sun’s arm purposefully leaving small shocks from his recently discovered aura. He walks backwards out of the alley and waves farewell to Sun.

“You clearly need some time to think about things.” He pulls out his scroll. “Oh and I’ve called a medic to deal with your knuckles.”

Neptune rounds the corner and starts heading home quickly, his heart is racing in his chest and his face is heating up. He’s either a flustered mess, or a composed Casanova there is no in between. Which one he is around Sun is yet to be determined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why Neptune has an electricity aura instead of a water one will be further explained next chapter :)
> 
> and you get this early because im away all weekend
> 
> feedback is always welcome


	10. That'll Have To Do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How to tie a tie, and other outfit requirements for a formal dance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this was late i had no wifi
> 
> feedback is always welcome

It’s the end of the year and that means celebrations, more specifically the school dance. Sun has been looking forward to this all year, he can show off his great dance moves, and get free food. But there is one downfall. It’s a formal event. Now this wouldn’t be an issue if Sun had ever been to formal event before; he picks up on things quickly. So naturally he seeks advice from his friend who knows everything about social acceptability.

Sun finds Neptune pacing around in their dorm scroll held tightly in his hand.

“Uh...dude what are you doing?”

Neptune freezes and stumbles a bit. He spins around and faces Sun. “Well you know how my aura is electricity based?”

Sun nods.

“Well no one else in my family who uses their aura has an electricity based aura! What if I’m adopted! What if there’s something wrong with me?”

Sun sighs and reaches out to Neptune, resting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Dude, you’re probably just like that 1% possibility. Or the chosen one. So either way no problem.”

Neptune just stares wide eyed at him, big blue eyes twitching with irritation. But before he can criticize Sun on his terrible reasoning, the faunus butts in with more important inquiries.

“And besides, I need your help picking out an outfit for the dance!”

Neptune goes to correct him on the importance of that, but seems to stop himself. “Fair point. You’ve never been to anything formal before?”

Sun shakes his head grinning. “Nope!”

Neptune sighs. “Okay, well first of all what’s your date wearing?”

Sun stares at him blankly. Why would he have a date?

“You don’t have a date?” Neptune’s brows furrow cutely.

“No. Do I need one? Is that a requirement!”

Neptune laughs. “No, it’s just I thought you’d have people lining up to date you.”

Sun sighs and stares at his feet, swishing his tail. “Well you thought wrong.”

Sun’s conflicted with Neptune’s statement. On one hand he thinks Sun should have people lining up for him like it’s a basic fact of nature, but on the other hand Neptune didn’t sound like he was wanting to be Sun’s date. Was Neptune’s flirting just joking around?

“We can go together anyway. I don’t have a date either.”

Sun looks up at Neptune who is rummaging through Sun’s clothes in their shared drawers.

“Shouldn’t you have some other nerd who is dying to go with you?” Sun forces a laugh.

“Nah. Sure there’s lots of attractive people, but spending a whole evening with someone just because their pretty wouldn’t be enjoyable.”

Sun lets out a faux gasp. “You mean I’m not just a pretty face?”

Neptune giggles, and holds up a black shirt from Sun’s random assortment of clothing.

“I think this could work.” He throws the shirt at Sun, “Go iron this.”

Sun sighs, but is grateful he’s not doing this alone. While he’s ironing Neptune is trying his best to find things that will match, unfortunately Sun doesn’t have any dress pants, and Neptune’s are too long to fit him.

“Do you own anything besides those denim shorts?”

Sun hangs up his freshly ironed black shirt and thinks about it. “I think I have some normal jeans lying around somewhere.”

Neptune sighs in exasperation. “That’ll have to do.”

While Neptune goes back to searching, Sun sits on top of the drawers. “What are you gonna be wearing? I mean you’ve spent all this time organising me, but I haven’t seen anything set out for you.”

Neptune laughs. “Sun I got my outfit ready over a month ago.”

Sun feels his eyebrows arc up. “Why?”

“I’m used to going to these things, family reunions, business parties, the few times my parents’ snobby friends pretend to enjoy each other’s company. I was taught how to deal with these things at the same time I was being taught how to count.”

Neptune chucks a thin white strip of fabric at him. “You can borrow my tie.”

Sun holds up the fabric in his hands mentally going over how to tie it. He starts looping around his neck while Neptune continues to search for his jeans. When Neptune stands up holding the crinkled jeans in question, he bursts out into a fit of giggles.

“What?” Sun scrunches up his eyebrows.

“I don’t even know where to begin with what’s not right.” Neptune keeps laughing, and Sun crosses his arms like a petulant child.

Neptune steps forward and begins adjusting the tie. “Well first of all the tie goes around and under the collar of your shirt, not just your bare neck. And second, it has to be straight and centred, not off to the side.”

Neptune steps back, and Sun feels himself missing the close proximity.

“There. That’s how you tie a tie, but you need to take that off anyway and start getting the changed the dance starts in a few hours.”

Sun hops off the drawers removing the tie from his neck; he quickly swaps shirts and makes quick work of ironing his jeans. He’s too focused on being ready on time, that he completely ignores Neptune getting changed as well. Once Sun’s got his shoes off he notices a problem.

“I don’t have any formal shoes!”

Neptune doesn’t look up from where he’s buttoning his suit jacket when he replies. “Just borrow some of mine, where close enough in size.”

Sun doesn’t move to get the formal shoes, instead he stares at Neptune mouth agape. His friend is wearing a silver suit, with a bright azure trim and a matching tie. The suit is tailored to fit him perfectly, the fabric accentuating his figure beautifully. Neptune looks dressed up usually, but this is different, a good different.

“What?” Neptune quickly looks down at his suit inspecting for flaws. “Did I miss something? Is there a crease?”

Sun shakes his head, still dumbfounded and speechless. “You just look really good.”

Neptune smiles, but quickly looks away hiding his face, much to Sun’s annoyance. Sun’s also a little bit jealous if he’s being honest, compared to Neptune he looks a mess. Sure his clothes are all ironed and clean looking, but they are no where up to Neptune’s level of formal and classy. Plus his arms feel naked without his gloves and braces, and his torso feels too confined with his shirt buttoned up.

“Well we better get going, don’t want to miss the food!” Neptune grins, and holds out his arm, bent at the elbow for Sun to take.

Sun loops his arm through Neptune’s and grins. “Nah dude, the dancing’s the best part.”

Neptune laughs, but Sun swears he saw a flash of fear in those ultramarine eyes.


	11. Why Do You Get To Lead?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dancing time!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this was late
> 
> feedback is always welcome

The dance floor is teeming with people when they arrive. Loud pop music is blaring from the speakers, a clear sign that students were given some power in the organisation. There are balloons of varying colours and streamers too. Everyone seems wrapped up in the good time they’re having, until Sun and Neptune arrive.

No one falls to a halt, or stares directly at them, but the subtle whispering, and side eyed glances don’t go unnoticed to Neptune, and definitely not to Sun whose tail curls defensively around Neptune’s ankle. Wanting a quick distraction Neptune pulls them both over to the snack table.

“I told you there’d be good food.”

Sun smiles, but Neptune notices how it doesn’t reach his eyes. This is supposed to be fun, but how can he keep Sun happy with this many assholes around? He’ll need to think of something, not to mention Sun’s excitement over dancing. This night may not go the way he wants it to.

“Dude I see why you hated these things as a kid.” Sun may sound sad but he’s stuffing his face with food and Neptune’s finding it adorable.

Neptune’s still scanning the room for a source of fun for Sun. But this is a formal event at a school, a school for badass hunters in training, but a school nonetheless.   He finds the next best thing from fun.

“Hey come on.” Neptune grabs Sun’s hand and pulls him towards a door.

“Dude what the hell?”

Neptune grins to himself as he drags Sun out onto the empty balcony. He drops Sun’s hand and spins around with his arms in the air.

“Tada!”

Sun peers around him with his eyebrows scrunched up adorably. “Dude what am I supposed to be seeing?”

“We can have our own party out here, we can still hear the music and no one else is out here. Granted we’ll still have to go inside for food, but it’s something right?”

Sun sighs. “Neptune I can handle people being pricks.”

“Yeah but I don’t want you to. This can be your night off.”

Before Sun can protest Neptune grabs his hand and bows formally. “May I have this dance?”

Neptune grins at Sun’s speechless amused face. “Dude you can do all those formal dances?”

Neptune lets out a fearful laugh. “No, but improvisation usually works right?”

Sun smirks. “We’ll see.”

Neptune places his other hand on Sun’s waist and starts making slow hesitant steps to the music from inside, and leading Sun in his vague memory of the dances.

“Why do you get to lead?”

Neptune feels his face heating up. “Because I’m taller.”

Sun’s grin is so smug. “Shouldn’t the leader know what they’re doing?”

Neptune feels something snap in his mind. So he quickly leans forward pushing Sun back into a drop. The blonde’s face is painted in amused shock. Neptune’s also extremely aware of how close his face is to Sun’s face.

“Think I don’t know what I’m doing?”

Sun smirks up at him. “With dancing or...?”

Neptune scrunches up his eyebrows, what is Sun up to? “Or what?”

Suddenly Sun’s soft lips are on his, and Neptune’s standing them both upright, while his mind explodes with incoherent thought. He quickly brings his hands up to hold the sides of Sun face and to pull him even closer.

They break apart grinning like idiots. Sun starts giggling. “As much as I love dancing, this is my new favourite hobby.”

Neptune holds Sun’s hands and tries to catch his eyes, but he notices that Sun is staring down at their feet eyes wide in disbelief.

“I can’t believe you like me.” Sun’s whisper is barely audible.

Neptune can’t believe what he’s hearing. How can Sun believe that, how would Neptune _not_ like him? Sun is attractive in so many ways. He’s visually pleasing to look at with his well toned body, and he’s a funny dude. Sun’s got a great fighting style, and he’s worryingly great at escaping detention. Sure he practices petty theft against people who piss him off, but hey it could be worst.

“Of course I like you. I _like_ like you.”

Sun looks up at him with barely contained wonder. “You said _like_ like.”

Neptune smiles, and scratches the back of his neck, while his face tints itself red. Sun grins and bounces on his feet, his tail swishing joyfully behind him.

“I’m gonna get us some snacks to celebrate. I’ll be right back!” Sun rushes off through the door.

Neptune turns around leans against the balcony admiring the evening view and grinning like a love struck idiot. Sun kissed him! Sun likes him! They’re kinda boyfriends now, or something. They really need to discuss this.

Footsteps behind Neptune alert him to turn around. He comes face to face with a group of 3 students who look pissed and disgustingly smug. He’s never seen any of them before.

“Look it’s the freak that loves abominations.” One of the guys taunts.

“What the hell?” Neptune puffs his chest out and tries his best to broaden his shoulders.

“You’re sleeping with a terrorist, you sicko!” The girl spits.

Neptune frowns. “What is wrong with you people?”

“You’re the one that’s wrong! You and that monkey are sick in the head.”

Before Neptune can defend himself and Sun, the 3 students are on the ground and Neptune’s being quickly pushed over the side of the balcony. He lets out a blood curdling scream as he plummets, only to stop falling without any major damage to his body.

Neptune whips his head up and sees 3 glowing golden imitations of Sun waving down at him. Then he looks to his left and sees Sun, who is currently holding him, surveying him with a concerned look on his face.

“No one talks shit about us and gets away with it.”


	12. We Need To Make It Epic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys' last year before moving to the big leagues and Sun wants to do something special

“Dude this is our last year at this school before we head to the big leagues!” Sun’s been trying to get Neptune enthused about this since the new year began.

“And?”

“And we need to make it epic!”

A librarian growls at them to shut up from her desk, Sun pulls a face at her once she’s turned her back.

Sun isn’t understanding how Neptune can be so calm about this. It’s their last year as low level hunters, next year they get to go on actual missions. They can fight Grimm, and be taught by famous hunters and huntresses, and they’ll get their own team.

“It’s our last year, doesn’t mean we have to do anything outrageous.”

Sun sighs, he knew this was wasting his time but he wanted to try. Maybe he could arrange something for just him and Neptune as a surprise. There’s a carnival coming to town soon right? Perfect.

“Yeah I guess you’re right.” Sun puts on his most convincing defeated and calm voice, and Neptune eyes him suspiciously.

Sun stands up and pats Neptune on the shoulder, “Well you go back to studying, I need to go work on my weapon.”

Just as Sun spins to walk away, Neptune grips his arm and pulls him back into a soft kiss. Sun’s eyes widen in surprise and then close as he smiles into the kiss contentedly.

Sun runs off back to their dorm and starts planning out a day for them to hang out and enjoy their last year. It’ll be the best date ever. Sun quickly starts searching on his scroll for info about the carnival. After half an hour he finds all the details he needs.

The carnival will be in town for a month, in 2 months time, that is perfect. It’s far enough away that Neptune will have forgotten about it, and Sun can properly surprise him. They even have all the best things carnivals should have. There’s heaps of unhealthy food like cotton candy, and hotdogs, and things that shouldn’t be deep fired being deep fried. Plus they have all the best rides like a merry go round, and tea cups, a mini rollercoaster and a ferris wheel.

Sun picks up his gun chucks and starts practicing basic movements while he plans things out in his head. So they can start the day with a picnic, because Sun knows the best way to anyone’s heart is food. Then Sun can indulge Neptune in going to a bookshop and Neptune can look at all the nerdy books while Sun enjoys the comic book section. Then they can go to the carnival and enjoy everything there. And Sun knows Neptune is afraid of heights, but that’s the perfect excuse to hold his hand on the ferris wheel.

Sun does a little victory dance swinging his nun chucks around. “Who’s the best boyfriend? I’m the best boyfriend!”

He freezes in his movements. Sun still hasn’t discussed their relationship status with Neptune. They have to be boyfriends right? They kiss, and hold hands and go to movies and do homework together. Despite all the evidence Sun doesn’t feel all that secure in his relationship.

Maybe he can get Neptune a gift too. What would that nerd want that he doesn’t already have? Going through his stuff is clearly the only way to answer that question. Sun starts that their shared desk. He collapses his weapon and chucks it at his bed.

There’s books stacked in piles according to size, and most of them are on hunter theory and Grimm biology. There’s a couple action figures of legendary hunters and huntresses scattered around too. There’s a collection of photos of them together, lots are selfies that Sun ambushed Neptune with.

Sun moves over to the wardrobe and drawers. Going through Neptune’s clothes there wasn’t any sign that Neptune needed any kind of clothing, in fact the guy had way too many clothes. Who needs this many jackets?

Maybe he should get him a heart shaped box of chocolates and a rose? It’s cheesy, but Sun could actually afford that with his own money.

Giving up Sun lets out the most irritated sigh and collapses with a loud thud to the hardwood floor of their dorm. He ignores the dull pain at the back of his head, and closes his eyes hoping some brilliant idea will hit him.

He stretches out his arms and makes half attempted movements of making a snow angel. Maybe he should tie a bow to his head and say he’s the gift. He snorts loudly at his own idea.

Sun groans and rolls over facing their bunks, and lets out a startling sneeze as dust invades his nose.

“Neptune really needs to dust this place. I sure as hell ain’t doing it.”

He’s about to sit up and go back to searching for gift ideas when something catches his eye under Neptune’s bunk. It’s a lone rectangular object pushed far enough back that Sun has to lie on his stomach and crawl a bit under the bed to reach it.

The second his fingers brush over it he pulls it towards himself and dusts it off. It’s a book, and it’s fucking heavy. Upon further inspection it’s  a hardcover, and it’s dust cover seems to have done its job. It looks old, but it also looks like Neptune hasn’t touched it in years, and knowing that guys obsession with order he must not know it was there.

Sun notices a school library stamp on it and recognises the name of Neptune’s old school. The dude stole something, and from his school no less. Neptune will not here the end of this one. Sun giggles and flips the book over, might as well see what the nerd’s been keeping all these years.

As Sun’s grey eyes scan over the title they fill with tears and his hands change into fists.

_‘The History of Faunus.’_


	13. I'm Looking For Someone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neptune's on a monkey hunt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the short hiatus, i got sick but i'm better now
> 
> feedback is always welcome

As much as Neptune loves studying and spending time in the library in general he can only stand it so long. Sun may think he’s great at acting casual, but Neptune could tell the faunus was up to something. He could tell by the way Sun was forcing himself not to grin, and the way his tail kept swishing a little too happily. As much as he dislikes surprises he’s actually looking forward to whatever Sun’s planning.

Neptune heads back to their dorm ready to interrogate Sun about his plans, but when he gets there he doesn’t find what he expects. He freezes in the doorway when he sees Sun sitting in the centre of the room head down staring at a book in his hands. His shoulders are slumped and shaking ever so slightly.

“Sun?”

The faunus in question snaps his head up, his grey eyes filled with anger, and his red cheeks stained with tears. He stands up without a word storms past Neptune shoving the book forcefully into his chest before bolting off.

Neptune spins around and sprints after Sun, but the faunus leaps out a window before Neptune can catch up. Panting and bowing over to catch his breath Neptune’s brain working a mile a minute. _What happened to Sun? Did someone pull his tail? Did someone say something rude about his family? Did I do something wrong. Who hurt his boy?_

Neptune finally holds up the book to inspect it, and his heart falls. The book containing historical information on faunus feels red hot in his hands and he drops it. _What does Sun think? Shit. He probably hates my guts right now. He must think I’m using him or something else equally as awful._

Neptune picks up the book and runs it back to their dorm, before pulling up his scroll checking Sun’s stats. Well at least he’s not in any physical pain. _Of course the one time everything seems to be going great it all turns to crap._

“I need to find him.”

On that note Neptune leaves the academy, and begins his search. He decides to check all of Sun’s favourite places. So naturally he heads to the market first. There’s stalls everywhere selling food and knick-knacks. Being taller than Sun gives Neptune an advantage in finding him, but there’s no sight of the spiky blond hair in the bustling crowd.

He approaches the owner of a food stall, the delicious smells are tempting but Neptune is a bit too occupied to think about eating.

“Excuse me miss, I’m looking for someone.”

The lady running the stall pulls a sympathetic face, her big doe eyes full of care.

“What’d they look like hun?”

Neptune rubs the back of his neck. “Well, he’s about this tall,” he holds his hand at his shoulder, “he has blond spiky hair, tanned, he’s wearing an open shirt. And he’s a f-“

Neptune freezes his mouth agape mid sentence. _Should I mention that he’s a faunus? Will she still help me?_

The lady smiles, looks around wearily before secretively lifting up her beanie for Neptune to see a pair of small antlers. “So what’s he have? Ears, wings, claws?”

Neptune smiles in relief. “He has a tail.”

The lady stops to think. “No sorry, I haven’t seen anyone by that description. Good luck finding him.”

Neptune sighs and his shoulder fall. “Thank you for your time.”

He wanders around the markets for a bit longer, before veering off down an alley. _Maybe Sun’s working off the stress with free running?_ Neptune keeps his head up, an eye on the rooftops as he walks down the alleyway. He Doesn’t look away for nearly an hour until a something catches his attention in his peripheral vision.

He snaps his head to his right to check out the poster. It’s a wanted poster, and one glance at the picture rips the air out of Neptune’s lungs. A crude drawing of Sun is shown with the instructions ‘Wanted alive, 100000 yen reward.”

_At least it says wanted alive. What has Sun done, to get a wanted poster? Petty theft doesn’t call for that does it? What if it’s worse than a bounty? Shit I need to find him._

Sun doesn’t hang out at many places, half of the places he visits is because Neptune dragged him along. Maybe he should check out that noodle place a few blocks over. As he walks along the empty streets Neptune becomes aware of how late it is when the street lights flicker to life.

He sees the noodle house in the distance and feels a wave of hope as he sees a large group of people there. But before he can start running towards it, a sharp pain flares at the back of his head and suddenly the pavement is approaching his face at an alarming rate.

He rolls over as his breath is knocked out of him, and groans at the dull aches in his ribs. As he tries to sit himself up, his blurry vision barely makes out 3 figures approaching him from a dark alley. They’re wearing some kind of uniform and their faces are covered in white masks, resembling creatures of grimm.

“Who-“

A baton flying at his face is the last thing he sees before his vision blacks out.

********

Staring down into his bowl of noodles, Sun tries to calmly think over the situation, but he seems to be in a constant state of anger right now. _How could he be so stupid? Of course Neptune was just interested in him for some dumb research bullshit. Why would someone like Neptune ever genuinely like someone like him? The racist as fuck parents should have been a dead giveaway._

“I’m so stupid.”

Sun stuffs his face with noodles hoping it will ease the pain. It doesn’t. An alert from his scroll shocks him out of his wallowing. He pulls out the scroll and his eyes widen at the notification. Neptune’s stats are flashing on the screen with a warning exclamation inside a triangle.

And his health bar is decreasing.


	14. Don't Apologise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sun finds out why Neptune's vitals were decreasing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you guys get this early because i have a school ball tomorrow  
> as always feedback is welcome

Sun leaps out of his seat and starts sprinting down the street back towards the academy. He knows that if Neptune health is decreasing that he’s probably not there, but he has to start somewhere right?

As his sneakers thud quickly on the pavement he catches the sound of a struggle in an alleyway. He whips his head to check and he sees 3 figures trying to pick up a body. The brief glance of azure hair sends a wave of rage and fear through Sun.

He charges into the alley, pulling out his weapon as he goes, he strikes one of the silhouettes with his staff and quickly swaps it out for his nunchucks. He spins around strikes the other 2 silhouettes keeping them away from Neptune.

Hearing the sound of a weapon unsheathing behind him, Sun pivots and fires 2 shots at the attacker, knocking them back into the alley wall and onto the ground. He quickly rolls to his side and spins around ready to attack the other 2. But a glance at the size of the weapons they have Sun quickly  jumped onto a nearby dumpster and climbed onto the roof of a building and took a breath to calm himself.

He collapses his weapon and sheathes it. Letting his body relax he closes his eyes and focuses his energy on protecting Neptune. He feels the energy leave his body in 2 separate clones, and sets them off to deal with the attackers.

“What the fuck?” He hears one of them grunt, before being thrown _into_ the wall across the alleyway.

The other one gets knocked to the ground and knocked out, by some transparent hand to hand combat.

Sun opens his eyes and steadies his wobbly legs before jumping down into the alley to check on Neptune. The blue haired boy is still knocked out, and has some nasty bruises blooming.

“What have you gotten yourself into Nep?”

He storms over to one of the enemy bodies and kicks them over so he can get a look at them. As soon as Sun sees the masks they’re wearing, he runs back to Neptune, and picks the boy up in a fireman’s hold and gets the hell out of that alley as fast as his exhausted legs can carry him.

He slows down when they’re away from the alley and when his legs can’t take that kind of exertion anymore. _For such a skinny dude, you sure are heavy Neptune._

“I’m still mad at you.” Sun doesn’t know why he’s talking to an unconscious body, but it seems like a good idea. To his surprise it replies.

“I know. But it’s not what you think honestly.” Neptune’s raspy voice is concerning to hear, and Sun cringes at it.

He wants to yell at Neptune, he really does, but the guy nearly got himself killed looking for him, clearly wanting to say whatever he has to say now.

Sun sighs and groans at the same time. “Fine. But only because you nearly fucking died.”

Neptune laughs, and winces. “That book you found. I haven’t read that since I was kid, like right after I met you. You see I didn’t know anything about you except that you had a tail. And well I’d never seen anyone with a tail before, and I never asked my parents stuff I always looked for answers myself. Long story short though; I accidentally stole that book from school library.”

A silence falls between them and Sun kinda hates it. He feels like such a dick right now. Neptune got himself beat up today, because Sun made assumptions before talking to Neptune about it.

“I’m sorry.” He mutters but Neptune clearly hears him.

Neptune tries to pull himself up to look at Sun, but in this hold he can’t and just ends up causing himself pain. Sun cringes at the painful noises emitting from Neptune.

“Don’t apologise.”

Sun frowns. _How badly did they hit Neptune’s head?_ “But I fucked up.”

Neptune sighs in exasperation. “Yeah technically you did. But it’s understandable and okay, because you have every right to think that I was being an asshole. It’s statistically more likely that I was being an asshole, rather than it being a misunderstanding.”

Sun groans. “Ugh don’t go all nerdy on me.”

Sun can’t see Neptune’s face but he knows he’s rolling his eyes.

“What I’m trying to say is; it’s not your fault.”

Sun just grunts some noncommittal sound, and sighs in relief as he reaches their dorm building. It’s late enough that no one is around to give them shit. Sun starts climbing the stairs to their level and somehow manages not to collapse.

“Anyway, who were those guys that tried to beat the life out of me?”

Sun freezes, and he knows he can’t blow that off because Neptune felt it. He doesn’t want to tell Neptune, because he  hates talking about that group. But he also can’t stop thinking about why they must have targeted Neptune. Because those guys don’t attack just anyone.

“The White Fang.”

Once inside their dorm, Sun lays Neptune down on his bed and starts treating his wounds. Once Neptune has a couple of ice packs and bandages, he starts up the conversation again, much to Sun’s disappointment.

“Why did The White Fang attack me?”

Sun doesn’t meet those gorgeous blue eyes as he speaks. “I don’t know. They’re an organised group, they don’t just attack randomly, they pick targets. And they always have a reason.”

“That isn’t reassuring.”

Sun thinks about all the encounters he’s had with the group; usually just people trying to recruit him, but they got more insistent each time.

“I think it’s my fault.”

Neptune’s brows furrow, and Sun can already hear the argument before it begins. _How can you say that? You’re not one of them. We just had this conversation half an hour ago._

“Why.”

Sun blinks. Well that’s not what he expected. “Anytime I’ve run into any of them they’ve tried to recruit me. I think they’re getting sick of hearing no.”

Neptune pulls out his weapon and his cleaning kit for it. Sun swats his hands away from his equipment, and frowns up at the boy who’s clearly lost his mind.

“Dude you need to heal, what the fuck are you doing?”

Neptune’s eyes have a look to them, the kind of look that you see on hardened criminals, superheroes and literally every badass ever to exist. But not on Neptune, not his cute, nerdy boyfriend.

“Sun, these bastards tried to kill me to get to you. I’m not gonna sit around and wait for it to blow over. I’m ending this the first chance I get.”


	15. I'm Not Stronger Than Them

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys talk about their current problem things get emotional

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's been so long, but i've got exams soon and have had all this work like you wouldn't believe.
> 
> So to make it up to you guys I'm gonna post a bunch chapters as soon as their finished instead of the usual weekly schedule.

The second Sun heard those words out of Neptune’s mouth he ran around the room locking the windows and doors, while his boyfriend’s eyes followed his frenzying. Once every possible route out of their dorm is blocked Sun makes his way back over to Neptune.

Neptune rolls his eyes. _Sun’s overreacting, I’m a hunter in training! I can beat these guys!_  The second Neptune’s eyes connect with Sun’s he can already see Sun mentally berating him.

“Don’t you think you’re over doing this just a bit?”

Sun scrunches up his nose. “No.”

“Dude seriously I can handle myself.”

Sun scoffs and his laugh cuts the air. “Yeah I think we both know that tonight’s events say otherwise.”

Neptune pushes himself up to stand but stumbles in pain clutching at his bruised ribs. Sun’s warm hands find his bare shoulders and keep him steady. Neptune shoves those hands off of him and stands upright, mouth curling with downwards.

“I’m not useless!”

Suns steps away eyes wide at the volume that just erupted from his boyfriend. Neptune watches those grey eyes flare up as his eyebrows turn down.

“I never said you were! I’m sorry Nep, but the White Fang is stronger than you.”

Neptune storms over into Sun’s personal space staring down at him.

“Oh because you’re so strong, right? You can totally take them on, while I’m the dumb damsel in distress!”

Sun grips at his forearms firmly but not hard enough to hurt the already wounded boy. Neptune sees the al the heat drain from those silver irises. Sun drops his head and stares at the ground, Neptune pauses in confusion.

“I’m not stronger than them.”

 _I’m not stronger than them._ The words spin around in Neptune’s head trying to find meaning.

“What?”

Sun’s breath escapes him shakily. “That’s why I don’t want you going after them. I’m terrified that something would go wrong and I wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.”

Neptune feels his heart swell and just _looks_ at the boy before him. The boy who cares so much. Too much. He reaches out a hand gingerly and carefully tips Sun’s chin up to look him in the eye. Grey eyes brimming with unshed tears great him and Neptune’s chest clenches.

He leans in carefully and meets Sun’s lips in a gentle embrace with his own. They’re both so gentle with each other afraid the other will break. Neptune rests his forehead against Sun’s and stares into his eyes.

“What are going to do?” Neptune’s voice a mere whisper.

Sun closes his eyes and Neptune notes how long his eyelashes are.

“I don’t know.”

Neptune steps back and holds Sun by the shoulders staring intently into his eyes.

“We’ll think of something.”

Sun shakes his head, face scrunching up. “I can’t turn them away forever. They’ve already started using force.”

“We can fight them.”

Sun’s head whips from left to right violently. “You don’t understand!”

Neptune’s eyes widen and his hands fall from Sun’s shoulder. Sun tries to control his breathing and calm himself down.

“What if next time they don’t just beat you up?” Sun’s shoulders slump and his fists are shaking.

Neptune gently reaches out to one of those clenched fists and unfurls the fingers holding Sun’s hand reassuringly.

“You can’t spend your whole life worrying.”

Sun sighs. “Why not?”

“Because worrying will only do you more damage than it will do me good.”

Sun doesn’t respond he just takes his hand back and turns around clearly running something through his mind. Neptune watches his eyes land on the clock.

“We should go to bed.”

Neptune wants to keep talking about this, he can feel the tension rolling off of Sun, but he keeps quiet and goes back to his bed. As Neptune is trying to get comfy on his mattress without bumping his wounds Sun is off having a shower. Neptune feels himself falling asleep to the sound of the running water through the wall when he hears the shower abruptly stop.

He keeps his eyes closed, pretending to be asleep, as he hears Sun’s feet pad across their dorm floor. He hears him stop next to his bed. Then he feels Sun brushing his hair back tentatively and then the soft press of Sun’s lips to his forehead. He restrains from smiling.

Just as Neptune thinks Sun is going to climb into his bunk above him, he feels Sun kneel next to his bed leaning his weight on the mattress next to him. Sun’s voice carries like a prayer through the stillness of their room.

“Don’t take him away from me. _Please_. He shouldn’t die for me, he shouldn’t die for anyone. I’d make him live forever if I knew how. This is all myfault.” Sun’s voice breaks and he starts sobbing.

His heart aches at the sound. Neptune can’t bare the pain that Sun is feeling , so he sits up pulls Sun into his bed with him and holds him close letting Sun cry into his chest. Neptune pets his hair smoothing out the ruffled blond locks.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

_I’m going to have to tell him this for the rest of my days aren’t I?_

“Don’t apologise, it’s not your fault.”

Sun shakes his head, burrowing into Neptune’s neck, making his skin damp with tears.

“You should leave me.”

Neptune swears his heart stops.

“Never.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t care if my life is at risk, I’m not leaving you.”

Sun shakes his head. “But _why?_ ”

Neptune considers this. _Because I have no one else. Because I don’t want you to face this alone. Because I can take it. Because I’d follow you to hell and back._ There’s so many reasons it’s overwhelming to Neptune.

“Because you’re Sun and I’m Neptune. Because I couldn’t leave you if I wanted to. Because I love you.”


	16. Tell Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sun wants to distract Neptune

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's some smut and fluff to make up for all the angst
> 
> not gonna lie i just wanted to rewrite my favourite scene in The Song of Achilles, which is why half this chapter happened

Over the next few weeks Sun slowly stopped worrying about the incident, there hadn’t been any news on The White Fang, and he hadn’t seen anyone suspicious.  But Sun has also noticed that Neptune’s bravado has progressively been fading and he’s been looking over his shoulder frequently. In an attempt to distract his boyfriend Sun decides to plan a romantic date for them.

There aren’t any fancy restaurants near the campus, nor are there any half way fancy restaurants that’ll accept faunus. Not that Sun could have afforded them anyway. So Sun decides to do the next best thing; DIY.

He sends Neptune off on some ridiculous wild goose hunt of an errand looking for things that don’t exist. The first thing Sun does is strip his bed of its sheet and throw it over the coffee table he’s dragged to the centre of the room. Figuring Neptune will be charmed with Sun making do he doesn’t bother finding a table that can accommodate chairs.

Next up is creating a ‘romantic atmosphere.’ So naturally Sun just steals from the school’s garden, and uses a pencil holder as a makeshift vase. He strips some of the flowers of their petals and scatters them in a trail from the doorway. _Now I need candles right? Candles are romantic, I think._ Searching through the storage closet Sun does not find candles, but he does find fairy lights for no apparent reason. Deciding that they’ll do he runs them along the top of their bunk and across to the window. He steps back to admire his work and grins.

Sun checks his scroll and realises that Neptune will be back wanting an explanation in an hour or two. _What else is romantic? Dressing up is totally romantic! Shit I don’t have any new fancy stuff._ Sun rifles through Neptune’s neatly folded clothes and finds a tie to borrow. He spends the next 20 minutes trying to get it right.

Once Sun thinks he looks adequately fancied up he sets off to retrieve their romantic dinner. _Takeaway noodles are romantic as fuck._ Sun reassures himself that all the dating advice says that it’s the thought that counts, and that Neptune would love it. _He doesn’t have to love it; it just needs to take his mind off of things._

*********

Just as Sun is handing some loose change over to the cashier and picking up two takeout boxes his scroll starts vibrating. He retrieves the scroll with his tail and gasps at the screen. He quickly hits the answer key, and starts sprinting back to the dorm.

“Hey Neptune what’s up?”

“SUN!”

Sun bites his lip as he makes his way up the stairs of the dorm building.

“No need to yell Nep.”

The sound of Neptune taking a calming breath is audible over the phone. “Sun. Why did you send me out to buy headlight fluid? IT DOESN’T EXIST!”

Sun giggles as he steps into the dorm and sets up the take out boxes on either side of the covered coffee table.

“I swear I wasn’t just messing with you. I’ve got a surprise and needed you gone to do it. See you soon love you!”

Sun hangs up quickly before Neptune can start yelling again. Sun catches the side of his face hurting from grinning so much. He runs a hand along the sore smiling muscles. _Can you pull a face a muscle?_

As the sound of angry footsteps sound through the walls, Sun picks up a classic red rose from the vase, and takes a deep breath.

Neptune shoves the door open and Sun doesn’t even care that his face is hurting with glee. Neptune’s blue hair is sticking up at all angles, his breathing loud and eyes a little crazed.

“SUN YOU BETTER-“ He stops mid sentence taking in the room around him, eyes darting from one change to the next like a bullet. As his eyes fall on Sun they both have matching blushes.

“What’s all this?” He sweeps his arm across the dorm.

Sun steps forward and tucks the rose behind Neptune’s ear. “I just thought we should do something romantic, I only know the clichés, sorry.”

Sun watches in delight as the pink tinge on Neptune’s face blossoms, and as his very kissable lips curl up.

Sun leads them over to the table and they sit across from each other each eating their respective noodles. Sun barely eats his food, too busy just staring at Neptune. _He’s still blushing! Does cheesy romantic stuff always affect him like this?_

“Have I ever told you how cute your blush is?”

Neptune’s finger’s spasm and the chopsticks fly out of his hands in the most comical way Sun has ever witnessed, and yet he keeps a straight face. Neptune coughs and clears his throat.

“I, uh, I don’t believe you have.”

Sun grins, and puts down his food and chopsticks, standing up and making his way over to Neptune. He kneels down so that their face to face.

“Well that’s a tragedy.” Sun smirks and keeps intense eye contact with Neptune. “Have I told you how beautiful your eyes are?”

Neptune takes a sharp intake of air. “No.” His voice is a shaky whisper.

 Sun leans in and ghosts his lips over Neptune’s. “What about this? Have I told you how much I like this?”

“Constantly.”

The corners of Sun’s mouth quirk up at that. He leans forward and starts undressing Neptune, maintaining eye contact as his nimble hands get rid of the obstructing fabric. Once Neptune’s torso is exposed in all its lean tan glory, Sun brushes his hands across the warm skin. Running a hand downward, teasing the sensitive skin, Sun slowly pushes Neptune onto his back.

“Surely I’ve said something about this?”

Sun watches Neptune’s face, his eyes are closed and his breathing has picked up in pace. His blush is running down his neck. _He’s beautiful._

“I’m starting to think you keep a lot of compliments to yourself.”

Sun giggles, and positions himself so he’s straddling Neptune. He braces a hand on either side of his face and leans down to nip at his ear; voice dropping to a whisper. His hand gently gropes at Neptune’s clothed groin.

“Now I’ve got a lot to say about this.”

Neptune’s head tips back and his mouth drops open. “Tell me.”

 Sun seizes the opportunity and starts nipping and sucking at the flesh on Neptune’s neck. His hand keeps busy creating small amounts of friction against Neptune’s growing erection.

Sun trails his kisses down, taking his time, drawing out his motions, teasing. He lightly runs his teeth against Neptune’s nipples getting these sweet gasps as rewards as the little buds harden beneath him. Deciding to save the teasing for later Sun reaches the hem of Neptune’s pants and rushes to get them removed.

Sun quickly tugs off the pants and briefs in one go, and is grateful they have a no shoes in the dorm rule. He quickly crawls back up and leans down to give Neptune’s  cock a curious lick. The strangled sound that falls from Neptune’s lips is very reassuring. _I’ve never done this before, please let me be doing this right._

Sun wraps his fingers around Neptune’s cock and slowly pumps it, before leaning back down to suck at the tip. Neptune’s moaning gets louder, and it is blissful music to Sun’s ears.

He takes more of Neptune into his mouth, and reaches his free hand down to palm at his still clothed groin. Neptune must feel the movement because he glances down at what Sun is doing, and sits up to help remove his clothes.

Once Sun is just as naked as Neptune, he leans back over Neptune and holds their cocks together. He braces one hand on the floor and starts thrusting his hips creating delicious friction for them both. Neptune’s hands fall to his bare ass, and dig into the plump flesh. Sun starts bucking his hips faster and Neptune absolutely keens.

“Sun, I’m gonna-“

Sun dives down and shuts Neptune up with heated open mouthed kiss. Neptune’s back arches off the ground and Sun’s hand is covered in warm cum. The sight of Neptune’s utter bliss, and actually feeling him reach orgasm, pushes Sun over the edge. He moans out and collapses on top of Neptune.

“No wonder everyone’s talking about that,” Neptune huffs out a laugh, “But we should probably get cleaned up.” He pulls a face at their sticky situation.

Sun smirks. “Care to join me in the shower?”

Neptune pulls his unimpressed face. Sun is accustomed to this face. “You just want a round 2.”

Sun giggles. “Who wouldn’t?”


	17. I Knew Sending You Away Was A Bad Idea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neptune's no good very bad day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> feedback is always welcome

It’s  nearing the end of the year and that means exams and applying for the big league academies. Sun’s away doing some combat training somewhere, he’d asked Neptune to join him, but he wasn’t feeling it. It’d been a few months since Neptune had been jumped by The White Fang, but he was still on edge. He doesn’t believe it was a one off. No one pulls that kind of thing and then just gives up. So Neptune made some bullshit excuse about studying, when really he wants to research the assholes after his boyfriend.

He starts with the obvious source; the internet. Many searches later he learns about their recent activity raiding the Shnee Dust Company’s cargo trains and ships. He also finds a bunch of conspiracy theories around normal faunus’ protesting for their rights. And lastly he finds the recruiting rallies. _Why are they harassing Sun if they are literally hiring anyone that wants to join?_

Neptune tries to think about the pros of Sun as an ally. _His parkour skills would be useful for all the illegal crap they do. His skill in pick pocketing would also be useful. Hell even his aura is unique and could be deadly if refined._

“My boyfriend is a fucking weapon to them.”

 _I just want to do something, anything! I want to get rid of these assholes, I want to get even._ Neptune’s pacing around the room running his hands through his hair, his stressing is interrupted by his scroll ringing loudly.

He sees his mother’s caller id and hesitates to answer. He presses the answer button and takes a deep breath.

“Neptune Vasilias.”

_Fuck. I’m fucked._

“Yes mother?”

“Why have you not called in the last few months?” Her voice is short and clipped. It’s the scary calm brand of anger that chills Neptune to his bones.

“I’ve been busy with work. You know that.”

She sighs. “I would understand that if it was just the calls. Your letters have been shorter recently as well. You better not be slacking off young man. I swear if you’re wasting your time with parties and-“

“I’m not slacking off.”

She scoffs.

“You don’t believe me.”

“Why else would you stop calling?”

Neptune grits his teeth and has a violent urge to scream. _She’s not here, she cannot control you or your life._

“I’m in a relationship.”

She pauses, clearly checking for any signs of a lie. “What is her name?”

Neptune wants to throw his scroll out the window, along with his responsibilities and worries.

“ _His_ name is Sun.”

The silence is deafening, and Neptune has never had a stronger urge to run in all his life.

“Why does that name sound so _familiar._ ” She’s clearly going through her memory like a filing cabinet. “Neptune, please tell me you do not mean that thing with the tail.”

Neptune puts the scroll down on the desk in their dorm and runs both hands through his hair and tugs _hard_.

“You know what, I’ve listened to your shit for so many years. I’m done. Sun is my _boyfriend_. He has a tail, and guess what? I like his tail. And if you can’t respect him I’m done talking to you mother.”

Neptune pauses and pants out his ragged breath. He gives her a chance, an opportunity to be a better person about this.

“I knew sending you away was a bad idea.” She didn’t take it.

Neptune hangs up, and leaves the scroll on the desk. He flops down onto his bed and screams into his pillow, feeling all the rage and _hurt_ flow out of him. He could really use Sun’s general cuteness right now. He rolls out of bed and back to his scroll.

He dials Sun’s number and hopes he isn’t interrupting his practice. When he picks up, Neptune fills with joy and relief.

“Sun! I was wondering-“

A deep laugh rumbles over the line, and Neptune’s blood goes cold.

“So _you’re_ the weak spot we’ve heard so much about.”

_Weak spot?_

“Who the fuck are you?” Neptune grabs his weapon and starts heading towards the training area Sun had been at all day.

“That’s none of your concern.”

”I’m pretty sure you made it my concern when you answered my boyfriends scroll. I want answers. NOW!”

The guys chuckles and it makes Neptune want to stab him several times over.

“He’s feisty. That your thing Wukong?” Neptune’s heart leaps at the sound of Sun’s name.

“Where the fuck are you?”

“I’m glad you asked. We’ll send you the coordinates. I look forward to meeting you.


	18. You Don't Mean That

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sun's being held captive and has to play the waiting game

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the long wait guys, but i got a little stuck with this plot wise

Sun tries to scream through the duct tape over his mouth as he watches the masked faunus hang up his scroll.  There’s five masked faunus watching him with sneers, their weapons drawn in case he makes things difficult. His first instinct was to try and break free of the ropes tying him to the chair. His second instinct was to use his semblance to get out of this mess. Both of which didn’t work. There’s some strange magic being used here, and it frightens him.

“Hear that? Lover boy is running right into our trap.” The leader of the group brags, waving the scroll at him.

“Now Wukong, you can join us now or you can watch you precious human die. Tick tock, your boy will be here soon.”

Sun stares at the door a few feet in front of him, dust crystals have been set up to trigger an explosion when it opens, and every weapon in the room is directed at the doorway in case that somehow fails.

_Why couldn’t Neptune be stupid? Why couldn’t he be dumb and assume Sun would get himself out of this. Neptune’s gonna barrel in through that door in a rage all in an attempt to save me. This is all my fault. I should’ve just stayed his friend. Or better yet I shouldn’t have become a hunter in training._

“You really want to find out if your boy can take on five opponents at once?” One of the masked figures asks.

Sun just glares at them.

“What do you even see in him? He’s nothing special, sure his grades are above average, but he’s _human_.”

Sun shudders at how they say human. _Do they realise that’s how some people say faunus?_  Sun doesn’t answer their proposition for the next few minutes, and he’s really starting to worry about Neptune.

The leader of the group grows agitated. He approaches one of his subordinates. “Search the perimeter; see if he’s up to something.”

“Yes sir.” The guard steps out to investigate, and Sun watches them leave cautiously.

The leader steps up in front of Sun, staring down at him condescendingly. “Maybe your boy doesn’t love you after all. Must’ve realised your more trouble than you’re worth and cut you loose.”

Sun growls at him, his fists clenching in their bonds. _If I could I would punch this guy in the face again and again._ His thoughts are interrupted by the guard that left to investigate returning. Sun eye’s them suspiciously; something is wrong.

The leader turns to face them, weapon at the ready. “Well?”

“Uh...no sign of him.” The guard doesn’t sound too sure. “...Sir.”

The leader stares down his subordinate. “You sure? You sound like you saw something.”

“Nope. Nothing to see out there.”

Sun stares at the guard intensely, he’d been analysing these guys since he arrived, cataloguing what they looked like in case he had to identify mug shots or talk to a sketch artist. This one is different. They’re too tall. Their gait is less confident and assertive. Their weapon is different; it’s a very familiar weapon. Sun’s eyes widen as he realises who is wearing that White Fang uniform.

Before the leader can interrogate the disguised man any further the pained screams of his other subordinates startles him. He spins around to see cyan light shocking and singing his partners. The screaming bodies fall silent and collapse to the ground. Just as the leader is turning back around 3 shots from a gun knock him back cold.

Sun watches all of this unfold in awe and fear. His saviour tears off his mask revealing ruffled azure hair and fear stricken cobalt eyes. Neptune rushes to him tearing the duct tape of his mouth and untying all his binds.

Sun can’t speak, he’s shocked into silence.

“You thought I was gonna rush in here recklessly didn’t you?”

Sun nods. “Well most people would have.”

Neptune laughs breathlessly. “I’m not most people.”

Sun tips his head back and sighs. “Thank dust for that.”

Neptune unties the last of binds and pulls him into a painfully tight hug. Neptune’s face is pressed to his shoulder, and Sun’s hands automatically move up to card through his hair.

“I thought I’d lost you.”

Sun feels his lips twitch up. “I’m the one that should be worrying about you.”

Neptune pulls back and grips both sides of Sun’s face tightly staring into his eyes. “You’re so worried about me that you forget you can get in trouble too.”

Sun stares into Neptune’s eyes seeing all the fear and worry and pain the boy went through. “I can handle it on my own.”

Neptune frowns. “You don’t have to. You have me now.”

Sun shakes his head, removing Neptune’s hands from his face. He steps away from Neptune. “You shouldn’t have to deal with this. This is my burden, you don’t deserve it.”

Neptune’s glassy eyes are staring widely at him. “Don’t I get a say? I don’t care what shit I have to deal with to be with you Sun. Why can’t you see that?”

Sun shakes his head violently, both his hands reaching up and tugging at his hair. “I don’t want you to deal with it!”

Neptune frowns, his eyes are still glassy but there’s a fire in them now. “Why? We’ve had this fight before Sun! I can fight, and I can take a beating!”

Sun feels the tears roll down his cheeks. “You shouldn’t have to! No one should go through that, because of me. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened because of who I am.”

Sun’s head is dropped and he doesn’t see Neptune approaching until his shoes come into view. A gentle hand reaches up and wipes away the tears. That same hand gently tips Sun’s head up.

“I’m sorry.”

Sun frowns trying to fathom a reason for the apology he’s being presented.

“I’m not going anywhere Sun. I don’t care what happens as long as I get to be with you.”

Sun feels the tears welling up again. “You don’t mean that.”

Neptune laughs bitterly. “I do. I’m pretty sure I got disowned today, because I couldn’t shut up about how much I love you.”

Sun’s eyes widen. “You what?”

Neptune smiles bashfully. “I may have told my mother about how much I love a certain boy with a tail. She was not pleased.”

Sun doesn’t know how to respond, so he just holds Neptune’s head in his hands and pulls him into a kiss. Their lips meet in a desperate and passionate embrace. The whole time Sun can’t stop thinking; _what’d I do to deserve him?_


	19. Just Because

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the holiday season which means presents and family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always comments are welcome

It was finally the holidays. Neptune and Sun will get a few weeks off and get to visit their families. Presents and other holiday traditions will be celebrated. It’ll be a nice break ad good fun. The only problem being that Neptune hasn’t spoken to his parents since his confession a month ago. He realises this while watching Sun pack to return home.

Sun is shoving clothes into an old worn duffel bag while going on about something Neptune’s not listening to.

“-and then he punched the glass cell and it actually broke all the way through!”

“I can’t go home.”

Sun turns to face Neptune and the way his smile fades pains Neptune. He half expected Sun to ask why, but it’s been a popular topic for them recently. Instead Sun drops what he’s doing and sits next to Neptune on his bed. Sun’s arm and tail wrap around him in a hug.

“You don’t have to, not this holiday. My mum said it’s okay for you to stay with us.”

Neptune’s eyes widen. “I don’t want to be a burden!”

Sun grins. “You’re not a burden, she was going to invite you anyway, but when she heard about what happened-“

“You talk to your mum about me?” Neptune is flattered by this. It’s one thing to tell someone you like them, it’s another entirely to say it when they aren’t there to hear it.

“Of course. She wanted to know everything when I told her I had a boyfriend.”

Neptune’s smile wavers. “D-does she approve?”

Sun laughs. “She thinks you’re great.”

Neptune’s heart warms at that. Sun slaps him on the back. “Now you better get packing too, we leave in a day!”

**********

Neptune can’t help but stare wide eyed at Sun’s house. He’s been pretty wide eyed since they arrived in his town. Neptune hasn’t been back to this town since last year and even then he was in his area of the town. The rich area. Neptune never really noticed the difference as a kid, he was an ignorant kid who’s parents sheltered him from everything. If his parents knew what he’d been through while away they’d see Sun as the least of his problems. Or maybe they wouldn’t.

Sun shakes him out of his thoughts by grabbing his hand an pulling him into the small house. Neptune is surprised at the size, it’s smaller than his own and double the people live in it. Sun pulls him into a cosy living room and they’re swarmed by 3 energetic children. Neptune watches in amusement as the 3 girls tackle Sun to the ground all of them grinning and yelling questions at him.

Neptune spots a familiar figure in the doorway across the room. Mrs Wukong is watching on with a fond smile on her face. She is nothing like Neptune’s mother and Neptune smiles at this realisation. Neptune wonders what it’s like to have a mother that looks at you with such adoration and support. Since his mother won’t even acknowledge their relation at this point he should probably be wondering what it’s like to have a mother at all.

He’s distracted by the sudden silence and the 3 grinning faces staring up at him with tails swinging behind them. They all have light gold hair like Sun’s, but 2 of them have silver eyes and one has green eyes.

“Who are you?” The oldest asks. She’s chest height next to Neptune, and her hair is cut short into a pixie cut, not far off of her older brother’s.

Neptune glances at Sun nervously. He assumed Sun had told his siblings who he was. “I’m Neptune it’s nice to meet you. Who are you?”

“I’m Ora.”

The next youngest girl steps up to introduce herself. Her hair is tied up in several places with tufts sticking up every which way. She looks a bit like she’s been electrocuted. She has her hands on her hips staring up at Neptune confidently.

“I’m Ayla.”

The youngest steps up, her hair is in pigtails and she’s avoiding Neptune’s eyes shyly.

“I’m Malana.”

Neptune smiles at all of them. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Are you Sun’s friend?” Ayla asks.

Sun laughs from where he’s still lying on the ground. “No I invited him home for the holidays because I hate him. Of course he’s my friend.”

Mrs Wukong must notice that her daughters want to interrogate Neptune so she lists off some chores for them to do. They all groan and trudge off to do their chores with slumped shoulders. Sun laughs at them, and his mother crosses her arms.

“Sun you can go set up the spare bed in your room for Neptune.”

Sun groans, and stands up to leave. He smirks and winks at Neptune as he drops his voice to a whisper.

“It’s not like we need the extra bed.”

Neptune feels his face heat up and glares at Sun’s retreating form. Neptune goes to follow him but is stopped by Mrs Wukong.

“He needs to do this by himself, I highly doubt he’s been doing chores in your dorm.”

Neptune has a brief flashback to how he had to coerce Sun into doing chores by threatening to withhold kisses from him.

“Yeah.” He sighs dejectedly. “But Thank you Mrs Wukong so much for letting me stay here.”

She laughs. “Please call me Kira, I feel old enough as it is.”

Neptune laughs, but fades out as Kira settles him with a serious look. It’s the kind of look you see from teachers and parents, it scares him.

“Sun told me about your home situation.”

Neptune’s eyes widen, Sun wasn’t kidding when he said he talked to his mother about him.

“I just need you to understand that you are always welcome here.  Anyone who makes my son as happy as you do is welcome under my roof.”

Neptune feels his heart swell with affection, he thinks it’s going to burst. It startles him when he realises this is more care than he’s ever received from his own parents.

“Well I guess I better keep him happy then.” His face hurts with the grin attempting to split it in two.

Kira smiles an pats him on the shoulder. “I better go start dinner, you can see if Sun’s managed to get that stretcher to work.”

Neptune makes his way down the hall, taking his time to stare at the family photos all over it. He’s mostly looking for Sun’s baby photos, he grins when he finds them. Sun’s so tiny with chubby cheeks and tiny tail. He was probably a hassle as a toddler too.

Neptune takes a while to find Sun’s room, he finds the girls’ room first, it’s a chaotic mix of all 3 them. He hears a screech and a thud, followed by Sun cursing quietly. Neptune follows the sound and finds Sun trying to wrestle the stretcher.

“Are you cheating on me with the stretcher?” Neptune smirks.

Sun stares up at him from his position over the metal frame, he’s straddling it with his legs on either side.

“Yes, turns out I have a thing for stubbornness.”

Neptune fakes offense clutching at his chest. Sun grins and goes back to fighting the metal beams into place.

“Why are you bothering, you know we’re gonna share your bed.”

Sun frowns at him. “I was joking earlier. These walls are paper thin I’m not risking my parents hearing anything.”

Neptune laughs. “We can share a bed without banging. Or am I just too irresistible?”

Sun rolls his eyes. “I can barely restrain myself.”

Neptune grins. “But seriously we should share your bed, it’ll be comfier and we get to spoon. Win win.”

Sun nods and folds up the metal frame shoving it back under his bed. Sun stands back up and wraps his arms around Neptune and pulls him down onto the bed so they can cuddle. They spend time reminiscing on when they were younger. They get so caught up in stories and memories that time escapes them. They’re startled out of their little bubble of nostalgia by Ora knocking on the doorframe.

“Dinner’s ready.”

Neptune notices Ora staring at him, she’s clearly surveying his situation. She’s old enough to figure out that Neptune is clearly closer to her brother than was let on. But she doesn’t say anything, she just turns and heads off to dinner.

Sun gets up and drags Neptune along with him towards the smell of some amazing food. They each get a bowl of noodles with various toppings. Much to Neptune’s surprise they all sit in the lounge on the couches and the floor around the TV. He sits down next to Sun on their smallest couch, pressed up close. Ora is on the floor next to them, and Kira is on the other couch with Ayla and Malana on either side. Neptune notices the lack of another parent.

He turns to Su and drops his voice to a whisper. “Where’s your dad?”

Sun’s mouth twitches down for a moment. “He’s at work. He has to work late hours, but he’ll be here tomorrow to open gifts with everyone.”

Neptune nods, he actually understands this. His father isn’t much different, always away on business and when he got home he brought his business with him. Neptune’s stomach churns just thinking about his family.

They all fall into a comfortable silence eating their noodles and watching some family holiday movie. Sun finished his noodles at an alarming rate and gets up to get seconds. As Neptune watches him go he feels something tap his leg. He glances down and finds Ora staring up at him.

“Are you my brother’s boyfriend?” There’s no hesitation in her voice, just slight concern.

Neptune doesn’t hesitate to answer, because he’s proud of his answer. “Yes.”

She nods, and frowns. “Why?”

Neptune’s taken aback by the question. He’s been asked this before but not in this way. It’s always been _Why are you dating someone like him?_ Or _Why does he bother with you?_ He’s never been asked why he likes Sun.

“Honestly I don’t think I’m capable of not liking him. He makes my life interesting, and he’s a delight to be around. When he’s happy I’m happy.”

She nods accepting the answer. “Do you love him?”

Sun strides back into the room with his second bowl of noodles grinning down at the food. Neptune smiles at that.

“Yeah, I do. I really do.”

Once the movie is done everyone helps with the dishes and then retires to their rooms, getting ready for the excitement of tomorrow. Sun and Neptune end up in bed cuddling despite not being sleepy.

“So what did you get me?”

Neptune sighs. “I’m not telling you.”

Sun pouts. “I’ll tell you what I got you.”

“No you won’t.”

Sun giggles. “You’re right I wouldn’t.”

Neptune wraps his arms tighter around Sun and rests his chin on top of Sun’s head. He feels Sun grin against his neck. Neptune knows they should sleep but he’s feeling a weird mixture of happy and sad, and his brain isn’t handling the bitter sweetness all that well.

“Can you believe we get to go to a proper academy next year?”

Sun’s grin gets bigger. “I can’t wait to fight real monsters. How cool will that be?”

Neptune sighs trying not to think about Sun getting trampled by an Ursa. Knowing he’ll have 3 other people to back him up alleviates the fear a little bit. Neptune tilts his head down and presses a kiss to Sun’s hair.

  
“What was that for?”

Neptune closes his eyes allowing sleep to take him.

“Just Because.”

**********

Neptune is awoken the next morning by girls screaming and running around the house. Before he can sit up his boyfriend is crawling over him towards the door. Neptune follows in a sleep hazed state and stumbles into the hectic lounge with a yawn. He grabbed Sun’s gift on the way.

Everyone’s huddled up on the couches like last night, only this time Mr Wukong is there and he’s sitting on the ground below Ayla. Sun definitely takes after mother for looks. His father is tall and lean with dark blonde hair and a small beard and his eyes are a shocking green. Sun has all of Kira’s traits, she’s got well built muscles and the spiky blonde hair and the light silver eyes. Neptune finds this information amusing for some reason.

Everyone starts pulling out the gifts they got for each other and Neptune can’t help but feel awkward only having a gift for Sun. The girl’s all get some new clothes and some specific things they wanted like a book or a set of colouring pencils. Sun’s parents got each other a cheesy card and their favourite sweets. Sun gets some new high quality shoes, and Neptune knows it’s because his other ones are wearing out from all the parkouring.

When it’s Neptune’s turn to give Sun his present he feels weirdly nervous. He hasn’t felt nervous around Sun in so long that the feeling alarms him. He hands him the present and Sun snatches it eagerly. He rips off the paper and grins at the comic and the voucher his favourite noodle franchise in his hands.

“You know me so well!” Sun grins and pulls Neptune into a hug before handing him his present.

Neptune grins at the present it’s obviously a book with it’s shape. When he rips off the paper his face splits into a grin.

“I saw you eyeing up at a bookstore last week.”

Neptune notices a chain sticking out from the pages, He carefully pulls it out and holds it up to inspect. A gold pendant with a sun carved into hangs from the necklace, and Neptune smiles at it. He notices that the carving is very similar to the sun carved into the wall of an alley a few blocks away.

“It’s cheesy I know.” Sun blushes and Neptune uses all his effort to restrain from making out with Sun.

“I love it.”

Sun crawls over to him and helps him put it on. As he’s doing the clasp of the necklace he leans down and whispers in Neptune’s ear.

“Now I’ll be with you no matter what.”

Neptune’s heart warms and he feels so unbelievably loved. He spins around and pulls Sun into a tight hug. He buries his face in Sun’s shoulder and feels himself grinning and tearing up at the same time.

He might have been disowned by his parents but he thinks he’s found a new family to call his own. _Sun really is the light of my life._


	20. Look After Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The long awaited (my bad I cannot apologise enough for my writer's block making this take so long) final chapter to this fic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all for being so patient, honestly you deserved this chapter months ago

The rest of the holiday was spent relaxing and spending time together as a family. Even though everyone’s happy and enjoying themselves Sun can’t help but feel bad that Neptune can’t be this way with his own family. This thought bothers him for the rest of their holidays all the way back to their dorm.

Sun just watches Neptune as he rambles on about something while unpacking his bag. Sun’s eyes wander down Neptune’s head, from his vibrant hair to his lively eyes, to those soft lips and then to the pendant flashing against his collar bones. _Why did you get shitty parents? Did you do something wrong in another life? Or is this the universe balancing out how amazing you are?_

“Sun did you hear any of what I just said?” Neptune voices with a surprising lack of agitation.

“No.”

His boyfriend sighs and wipes a hand across his face. “I’m meeting my parents for lunch later today, so I’ll be gone for a few hours.”

Sun drops his bag in shock, and doesn’t bother to retrieve it.

“You’re speaking to them?”

Neptune kicks his bag under the bed and turns to face Sun. He doesn’t look sad or angry or any of the emotions Sun thinks he should be displaying. He looks tired.

“Yes. I wanted to...I don’t know what I want. Closure? Maybe I just want to explain everything face to face. Whatever I’m going to do, I need to do it.”

Neptune stalks out of the dorm and Sun watches his feet itching to follow. He stays put.

**********

Sun couldn’t cope with his concerns for Neptune for more than 5 minutes. He quickly pursues his boyfriend his heart racing. Sun follows from the rooftops; he keeps an eye on that flash of cyan hair. When Neptune enters a cafe Sun positions himself on a roof across the street. Luckily for him Neptune sits at a table by the window, but Sun isn’t watching Neptune anymore; his eyes are trained on the couple already seated there.

The man is tall and dressed for business. He has jet black hair neatly combed back, and a well kept beard. He is staring at the scroll in his lap rather than at his son across the table. The woman is an average height, shorter than her son, and has long flowing cyan hair. She is wearing a casual red dress, and is sitting very frigidly. She is staring right at Neptune.

Sun glances back at his boyfriend and his heart aches. Neptune’s arms are straight by his sides and he’s gripping the chair nervously. Sun watches the awkward exchange having no idea what’s being said. His tail starts swishing side to side without his control. His eyes widen as Neptune stands up abruptly and starts heading for the door. That’s Sun’s cue.

He hops down from the rooftop and starts making his way towards Neptune’s retreating from. He’s stopped by a hand on his arm, he’s spun around and is shocked to see Neptune’s parents.

“You must be Sun.” The lady’s mouth twitches downward like his name is sour to say.

‘Yeah I am.” Sun’s nose scrunches up.

This is the lady that’s been upsetting Neptune. Sun’s mood falls just looking at her. Her face screams resentment in his presence and the feeling is mutual. Sun glances at Neptune’s father and is surprised to see genuine concern.

“You ruined our son.” She snarls and pivots grabbing her husband’s arm to storm away. Her husband doesn’t budge, he’s facing Sun.

“Look after him.” His face is solemn, he’s accepted that he won’t be seeing his son again anytime soon. The man let’s his wife drag him away, and Sun watches them leave his jaw loose.

The strange encounter is quickly forgotten as he searches for Neptune.

**********

Sun finds Neptune on the roof of their dorm building; this is strange considering the boy’s fear of heights. Neptune has his back to him and his feet dangling over the edge, his head is tipped down. Sun sits down next to him without a word. He wraps an arm around Neptune’s shoulder and his boyfriend leans in to him resting his head on Sun’s.

“You’re parents are... interesting.”

Neptune laughs hollowly. “I’m sorry you had to encounter them.”

  
“I’m sorry you were raised by them.”

Neptune smiles slightly. “They must’ve done something right.”

Sun laughs, and they fall into a comfortable silence watching the horizon. Sun realises that every weight has been lifted from their shoulders. The White Fang won’t fuck with them anymore. Neptune’s parents have made their choice. They’ve both stopped caring what their peers think. Sun grins at the feeling of sweet freedom.

“You know our only concern now is what we do in the future.”

Neptune groans and pulls out of their embrace to lie down in faux agony. Sun lays down next to him a huge grin on his face.

“You think we’ll end up on the same team?” Sun tries to hide his concern.

“I hope so.” Neptune turns his head to face him returning his grin.

“I wonder who our leader will be.” Sun voices his thoughts aloud.

“I think you could be a good leader.” Neptune answers sheepishly.

Sun laughs, and then realises Neptune isn’t laughing with him. “Oh shit you’re serious.”

Neptune shrugs. “You’re protective. You think outside the box. You’re a good fighter.”

Sun giggles. “Are you trying to get into my pants?”

Neptune blushes. “No! Well yes, but not right now. I’m serious you could be a decent leader.”

Sun shifts so that he’s further away from the edge of the roof, and Neptune follows. Once their safe from the edge Sun rolls himself on top of Neptune pinning his wrists to the concrete with a grin.

“You think I’m good at leading?”

Neptune rolls his eyes. “Way to ruin my sentimental confession.”

Sun leans down ghosting his lips over Neptune’s. “I think I improved it.”

Neptune fails to fight off the smile spreading on his face. He decides to ignore his plans for the future for now and focus on right now. And right now he’s kissing a handsome boy and he couldn’t have made a better choice.


End file.
